| Country of Origin | Sri Lanka | | Region | Kandy District | | Shipping Port | Colombo | | Grade | Young Hyson Elpitiya Estate | | Altitude | Medium Grown: 2500-3000 feet above sea level | | Manufacture Type | Green Tea Orthodox style | | Infusion | Pale yellow green | | Cup Characteristics | The tea tends light liquoring but fresh and smooth with reasonable depth and body. Refreshing cool mint flavor that produces a delicious and heady cup of tea. | | Ingredients | 100% Ceylon green tea with natural flavors | The base tea for this delightful flavored green tea comes from a small tea estate in Sri Lanka called Elpitiya. The estate is medium sized producing nearly 650,000 kilos yearly (1.4 million lbs. enough to make 300 million cups) and does this on about 900 acres of land in the Kandy district. The manager Mr. Gunawardene takes pride in the estate s accomplishments. Elpitiya only started producing green tea in 1995 and in a few short years, on account of the change in crop has managed to increase the financial return to the estate, allowing it to invest in new equipment and upgraded housing for the workers. In total the estate employs about 400 people but also buys green leaf from small holders (small plot farmers) which in turn has improved the living of another 500 families. Additionally the estate provides health care to its workers at district hospitals and on the estate itself there is a small dispensary manned by a nurse to attend to minor day-to-day injuries. The estate provides free housing to its workers as well as subsidizing food purchases of rice and fish, (vegetables are grown by the workers on small plots around their homes). The estate no longer uses pesticides but does use fertilizers to maintain tea bush yields. The produce from this estate finds its way to various markets in the Middle East as well as North America The manufacture of this Hyson green tea commences with the fresh leaf being fed onto the Panner whose primary function (through the use of heat) is to arrest the fermentation of the leaf and make it more suitable for the subsequent manufacturing (leaf handling). The leaf extracted from the Panner is passed onto the Moon Type Rollers for a 20 to 25 minute pre-condition rolling. On completion of rolling, the leaf is passed through a primary stage tea drier at low temperature to remove the excess moisture. Following the primary drier stage, the green leaf is fed into the Ball Tea Driers for the final drying and formation of the green tea. This process is long, often taking up to eight to twelve hours depending upon the ambient humidity. The dried green tea is then graded according to the size and the appearance of the leaf. This green tea is flavor with natural peppermint oils. Peppermint is an herb that contains no caffeine. Quite often peppermint is consumed after meals as the oils stimulate the flow of bile to the stomach and helps relieve gas pains. Additionally, it has been reported and written that peppermint sweetens the breath and calms the digestive system, plus it helps heartburn, stomach ache and nausea. Peppermint is believed to be a hybrid species that evolved from spearmint and water mint. However, peppermint has been around so long its genealogy is obscure. Peppermint is a primary ingredient in remedies used in the relief of gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, and local aches and pains. As a hot tea this drink is cool and refreshing, as an iced tea the menthol content produces a pleasantly chilling taste sensation. |
Great for my colds