Pure Ceylon Tea

To the south and east of the Indian subcontinent lies the small, pearl-shaped country of Sri Lanka. Belying its size, the island generates a massive quantity of Ceylon black tea. While most tea regions have one peak spring season, Ceylon has two, which allows it to grow pure Ceylon tea almost year-round. The island is split down the middle by its Central Highlands, a mountain range with peaks upward of 6,000 feet. From January to May, the teas on the western side of the island peak as monsoons batter the eastern side. While the churning clouds drench part of the island, they dry out the western half, drawing up moisture to generate the ideal, dry, sunny weather for peak Ceylon black tea. From July to October, the situation reverses, and the eastern side peaks as monsoons soak the western half of the island. Whether peaking or not, in the tropical warmth pure Ceylon tea grows all year, and so quickly that some gardens have to harvest the fresh leaves as often as every week. The gardens can yield as much as 30 times that of the gardens in China or Japan. Ceylon tea falls into three categories according to the elevation of their gardens. Low-grown teas come from Dimbula at elevations under 2,000 feet. Submerged under tropical heat and humidity, most of these teas are dull and unremarkable. Medium-grown teas, found in Nuwara Eliya, flourish between 2,000 and 4,000 feet, where the cooler, drier climate produces fruitier, mellow teas. Tea in Uva are known as high-grown teas. Their elevation is between 4,000 and 6,000 feet and are what give Ceylon its reputation. The rarefied air produces exceptional teas.