Nuwara Eliya – Sri Lanka's Little England!
Nuwara Eliya, called the "Little England" of Sri Lanka due to its cool climate and colonial-style bungalows . It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m above sea level , in the misty hills of central Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya's European style of construction is due to the fact that the city was once a refuge for colonial planters and upper class people. The region's unique location provides textbook conditions for tea plantations .
How is Nuwara Eliya tea grown?
Did you know that Nuwara Eliya was originally intended for coffee plantations ? The Europeans who settled in the region saw the great potential of the mountainous area . Unfortunately, the conditions at such a high altitude turned out to be too difficult for coffee, and frequent rains destroyed its crops. After failures, the planters decided to start growing tea bushes . As a result, from the early 1870s , Nuwara Eliya began its journey to become one of the best tea-growing regions on the island . It is from this part of Sri Lanka that the famous " champagne " of teas comes from. For this reason, it is the most famous tea-growing region in Sri Lanka and the heart of the island's tea industry .
Cool and refreshing air and moderate rainfall (except in the dry season from February to April) provide a unique climate that helps produce what is considered the best tea in the world. Due to its unique , mild climate, Basilur Nuwara Eliya tea is the lightest infusion of Ceylon Teas with a delicate scent and a golden hue.
How is Nuwara Eliya tea processed?
Nuwara Eliya tea is processed according to special procedures that include two to seven stages . Adding or excluding any of them results in a different type of tea . Each of these procedures is carried out in air-conditioned facilities to avoid the negative impact of excessive humidity and temperature fluctuations.
We can distinguish three main stages that most Nuwara Eliya teas go through.
- Withering - involves pre-drying fresh tea leaves to reduce their moisture content and allow the development of flavor compounds.
- Fixing or " kill green " - refers to a process that involves the enzymatic browning of dried leaves through the use of controlled heat. It is believed that the longer this stage lasts , the more aromatic the tea will be. This procedure is carried out in the production of green and yellow teas.
- Drying – at the end, each tea must be dried to remove any remaining moisture and obtain leaves suitable for storage. The heating method can radically change the taste of the tea . This is most often noticeable when drying on charcoal, which gives the tea its rich flavor.
Once dried, the tea is ready to be packaged and shipped around the world. By using the ability to add or subtract individual steps, you can create any type of tea from one leaf . By blending these steps in non-traditional ways, our Basilur team continues to invent new ways to create interesting teas with unique flavors .
Is Nuwara Eliya the tea capital of Sri Lanka?
Nuwara Eliya can definitely be considered the tea capital of Sri Lanka and it is said that " Nuwara Eliya is to Ceylon tea what champagne is to French wine ". Recognized by tea connoisseurs as the best in the world, the infusion is bright and at the same time provides a unique taste and aroma . The infusion in the cup is the lightest of all types of Ceylon tea , with a golden hue and a delicately aromatic taste .
Try Basilur Nuwara Eliya tea.
