My latest foray into Simpson & Vail’s portfolio of Ceylonese teas, this organic black tea comes to us from the Uva region. The estate that produces this particular tea is part of the Idulgashinna Organic Tea Gardens and may be one of the most progressive tea estates in the region. Seriously, check out some of the things they do for their employees. I have a feeling that many other estates do not offer the same services or level of support to their workers.
I prepared this tea using my familiar one step Western infusion. I steeped 1 teaspoon of loose tea leaves in 8 ounces of 212 F water for 3 minutes. Obviously, I did not attempt additional infusions, though I think one may be able to get at least one more infusion out of this tea. I have also tried slightly longer infusion times of 4 and 5 minutes with this tea. The results were similar to the 3 minute infusion, so I am wholly concerning myself with that one in this review.
The infused liquor showed a dark orange in the cup. I detected distinct aromas of orange, caramel, toast, malt, cream, and almonds on the nose. In the mouth, I noted balanced notes of cream, toast, malt, almond, dried flowers, and orange underscored by a faint trace of caramel. The finish was smooth and rich, offering lingering impressions of toast, malt, cream, and almond.
I have finally found another Ceylon tea that I really adore. What I found so appealing here was the smooth integration of flavors in the mouth. There were no metallic or off-putting flavors. There was no bitterness. There was no astringency. I do not feel like I can say much else other than I recommend this tea very highly.
Flavors: Almond, Caramel, Cream, Floral, Malt, Orange, Toast
