Merkaba Teas, Ceylon Venture Eastate Organic, Black Tea

Origin: Ceylon/Sri Lanka.

Grown in the District of Ratnapura (the city of gems) on the border of the Sinharaja forest. This strategic location combined with favorable
atmospheric conditions (that is always clean and natural) is the platform from which Vithanakande teas achieve the very special mellow
character that distinguishes them from others. Beautiful, long thin leaves bought from small land holders, resulting in a stunning cup,
delivering lingering flavor & distinct character.

Until the 1860’s the main crop produced on the island of Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, was coffee. But in 1869, the coffee-rust fungus, Hemileia
vastatrix, killed the majority of the coffee plants and estate owners had to diversify into other crops in order to avoid total ruin. The owners of
Loolecondera Estate had been interested in tea since the late 1850’s and in 1866, James Taylor, a recently arrived Scot, was selected to be in
charge of the first sowing of tea seeds in 1867, on 19 acres of land.

Taylor had acquired some basic knowledge of tea cultivation in North India and made some initial experiments in manufacture, using his
bungalow verandah as the factory and rolling the leaf by hand on tables. Firing of the oxidized leaf was carried out on clay stoves over
charcoal fires with the leaf on wire trays. His first teas were sold locally and were declared delicious. By 1872, Taylor had a fully equipped
factory, and, in 1873, his first quality teas were sold for a very good price at the London auction. Through his dedication and determination,
Taylor was largely responsible for the early success of the tea crop in Ceylon.

Most of the Ceylon tea gardens are situated at elevations between 3,000 and 8,000 feet in two areas of the southwestern part of the island, to
the east of Colombo and in the Galle district on the southern point. In the hot, steamy plains and foothills, the tea bushes flush every seven or
eight days and are picked all year round. The finest teas are gathered from late June to the end of August in eastern districts and from the
beginning of February to mid-March in the western parts.

Until 1971, more than 80 percent of the island’s tea estates were owned and managed by British companies. In 1971, the Sri Lankan
government introduced a Land Reform Act which gave the state control of the majority of the plantations (which also grow rubber and
coconuts for export) leaving about one-third in private hands. Since 1990, a restructuring program has been going on to involve the private
sector companies (both Sri Lankan and foreign) as Managing Agents of the state-owned plantations. The long-term aim is for the private
managing companies to take on most, if not all, of the financial responsibility and control of the estates, with the government retaining
ownership.

Sri Lanka’s finest teas are produced mainly from bushes that grow above 4,000 feet. The bushes grow more slowly in the cooler, mistier
climate, and are harder to harvest because of the steep angle of the slopes on which they are planted.

There are six main tea-producing areas. Galle, to the south of the island; Ratnapura, about 55 miles east of the capital Colombo; Kandy, the
low region near the ancient royal capital; Nuwara Eliya, the highest area that produces the finest teas; Dimbula, west of the central
mountains; and Uva, located east of Dimbula.

The teas produced in each region have their own individual characteristics of flavor, aroma, and color. Low-grown teas, produced at 1,500 to
1,800 feet, are of good quality and give good color and strength but lack the distinctive flavor and bright fresh taste of the higher-grown teas
and are usually used in blending. Mid-grown teas, grown between 1,800 and 3,500 feet, are rich in flavor and give good color. High-grown
teas, from heights of between 3,500 and 7,500 feet, are the very best that Sri Lanka produces, giving a beautiful golden liquor and an intense
powerful flavor As well as the wonderful black teas, some estates also produce silver tip white tea that gives a very pale straw-colored liquor
and should be drunk without milk. All Sri Lanka’s black teas are best drunk with a little milk.