The island of Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon provides the ideal climatic conditions for the cultivation of high-quality tea. Tea is grown in seven major districts on the island and covers about 500,000 hectares of land producing over 300 million kilograms annually.
Ceylon tea is divided into three major categories;
- High Grown – Over 4000ft
- Mid Grown – 2000 to 4000ft
- Low Grown – Sea level to 2000ft
Teas grown in each region resources writing letter to parent try this out is distinct from one another in appearance, flavour why not look here writing letters of intent for graduate school see this and aroma. Distinct aggro climatic conditions of these regions produce an array of teas which are unique and regional specific.
High Grown tea is considered to be the highest in quality compared to the rest of these regions. The flavour and the aroma are mostly focused on High Grown tea rather than the appearance of the leaf. The plants are slow grown with professional care to maintain the highest quality of the tea. There are the further classifications of High Grown tea by the climate:
- Western High Grown – Dambulla Teas
- Eastern High Grown – Uva Teas
- Central High Grown – Nuwara Eliya Teas
The monsoon and winds depending on the time of the year determine the quality of High Grown tea. Periods of no rain with chilly mornings, warm afternoons and cold nights with strong winds provide the best environment for High Grown tea. The best tea is harvested throughout the year in the Nuwara Eliya district. However the best tea of Dambulla and Uva regions are harvested only during January to March and July to September.
Manufacturing
The Manufacturing process of Ceylon tea is labour intensive and time consuming. The process consists of many steps such as plucking, weighing, withering, rolling, aeration, drying, grading and packing. Each of these steps is monitored closely by cultivators and manufactures who are the custodians of this process and the of making traditional Ceylon tea.