Ceylonese Orange Pekoe Tea

Although it is now possible to buy a near-infinite variety of flavored teas, unadulterated loose-leaf teas with a good pedigree are hard to find and are generally overpriced. We tested a wide range of Ceylonese teas and finally settled on a hand-picked, high-grown tea that has the classic orange pekoe taste but not the bitterness associated with low-grown, machine-picked leaves of the type normally sold in tea bags.

Machine-picked leaves include older leaves plus bits of twig; handpicked leaves include only two young tip leaves plus the bud. Our tea is grown at the 5000-foot level in the Dimbulla region of Sri Lanka (formerly called Ceylon). It brews to a rich golden color with a mellow taste.

An excellent gift, this tea comes sealed in a Victorian-style tin that also serves as an attractive caddy. 200g (7oz).