CARDAMOM

It is easy to understand why this highly aromatic spice is sometimes called the "queen of spices". Bite open a pod - the flavor will fill your mouth and a warm sensation will spread throughout your body. Cardamom is a cooking staple in many Far Eastern countries and is second only to black pepper in terms of usage worldwide. The first historical mention of cardamom dates to the 4th century BC in the writings of Greek Physician Theophrastus who claimed the pods had medicinal value. Modern usage of the spice however stems from the cultures of southern India. The people there held the spice in such high regard that they used it as an offering to the gods during religious ceremonies. We hold this tea in such high regard that we recommend brewing a pot and making an offering to your friends, or dinner guests. One of our most exotic blends.

What type of tea do we use, how do we flavor the tea and why do we use natural flavors?
Firstly... we only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing regions of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These three high-grown districts produce flavorful teas that have classic Ceylon tea character which is noted by floral bouquet and flavor notes, touches of mild astringency, bright coppery color and, most importantly - perfect for use as the base tea of our flavored teas. (We have tested teas from various other origins around the world as base stock for our flavored teas, but none of these teas made the grade.) Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, whereas Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. This dual peak period allow us to buy the best for our flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.

Secondly... we use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in a liquid tea treat. Thirdly... we specify natural flavors. High quality tea tastes good and natural flavors do not mask the natural taste of the high grown Ceylon tea. (The norm for many making flavored tea is to use overpowering artificial flavors, which can be used to hide lower quality tea). Natural flavors do not leave an aftertaste giving the tea a clean and true character. It should be noted that natural flavors tend to be somewhat soft and the flavors slightly muted, but for many this is a refreshing change and one of the desired attributes of our naturally flavored teas.