Kandy OP Loose Leaf Black Tea — Sylvakandy Estate

🍵 The Estate — A single-estate Orange Pekoe from the celebrated Sylvakandy Estate in the Matale District of Sri Lanka's Central Province, grown at elevations from 550 to 1,220 metres above sea level

🍵 The Cup — A bright, golden liquor with a medium-thick body and a clean, luminous clarity that speaks immediately to the quality of the leaf

🍵 The Character — Richly floral and expressive, with a lush, rounded depth that is softer and more aromatic than many Ceylon teas — warm, welcoming, and beautifully balanced

🍵 The Occasion — Wonderful at any point in the day; elegant enough to sip black, yet rounded enough to take a splash of milk with equal grace

The Sylvakandy Estate has long been regarded as one of the standout names in Kandy tea, and this Orange Pekoe grade single-estate Ceylon loose leaf tea is a compelling reason why. Sitting in the Matale District of Sri Lanka's Central Province, the estate commands gardens that range from 550 to 1,220 metres above sea level — elevations that, combined with the heavy and consistent rainfall of the region, create ideal conditions for growing tea of genuine character and finesse.

Kandy holds a unique place in the story of Ceylon tea. It was here, in the 1850s and 1860s, that a Scottish planter named James Taylor first established commercial tea cultivation on the island, transforming a region that had previously grown coffee into what would become one of the world's most celebrated tea-producing origins. The Kandy district, described as mid-grown for its altitude range, produces teas that sit between the brightness of high-grown Nuwara Eliya and the fuller body of lowland Ceylon — and at its best, as here, it combines the virtues of both.

The OP grade leaf from Sylvakandy is a considered choice. Larger-leafed than broken grades, Orange Pekoe allows the tea to develop its full flavour slowly in the cup, producing a liquor that is bright and golden with a satisfying, medium-thick body. The flavour is richly floral and lush — warmer and more expressive than many Ceylon teas — with a smooth, rounded finish and none of the sharp astringency that can occasionally mark lesser estate teas from this origin. Over the years, High Teas London has sampled a number of grades from this estate; the OP consistently stood apart as the finest expression of what Sylvakandy does best.

Since 2008, High Teas London has been one of the country's leading independent tea specialists, building a collection of over 350 teas and infusions sourced from the world's finest gardens. Finding a single-estate Ceylon tea of this quality — one that is genuinely distinctive rather than merely competent — is exactly the kind of work that has defined the shop from the beginning.

Ingredients: Black tea (Camellia sinensis).

Brewing Note: Sylvakandy OP rewards a straightforward approach. Use freshly drawn water brought to a full rolling boil and allow a generous teaspoon of leaf per cup — around 2 to 2.5 grams. Steep for 3 to 4 minutes for a bright, lively cup, or extend to 5 minutes if you prefer a fuller, more rounded result. The tea holds up well with a small amount of milk, which softens the florals and brings forward the warmth in the cup, though it is equally rewarding drunk black. Avoid over-steeping, which can dull the natural clarity that makes this estate tea so appealing.