Ceylon tea (black)
Ceylon black tea is black tea that is grown in Sri Lanka (which was known as Ceylon before 1972). It has a crisp aroma reminiscent of citrus, and is used both unmixed and in blends. It is grown on numerous estates which vary in altitude and taste. The production of black tea in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) began after a deadly fungus called Coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix) destroyed most of the coffee crop on the island. This fungal outbreak was first noticed in 1856 and had ended Ceylon coffee production by the 1880s[1][2][3]. The coffee plantation owners realized that they needed to diversify. The Loolecondera Estate had long been interested in producing tea in Sri Lanka. James Taylor, one of the fathers of Ceylon Tea, had recently arrived on the Estate and wanted to be there for the sowing of the first tea crops in 1867. It was done on 19 acres (77,000 m2) of land. James Taylor was already experienced in tea cultivation. He had acquired his knowledge in North India.
