Orange Pekoe
A wiry whole-leaf style. “Orange” does not mean orange flavour.
From the island of Sri Lanka
Discover Ceylon Tea,
from leaf to cup.
The complete guide to the origins, seven regions, grades, craft, culture and institutions behind Sri Lanka's world-renowned Ceylon Tea.
7official growing regions
1867commercial story begins
1 islandmany distinct cup profiles
Ceylon Tea, clearly explained
One island.
Remarkable range.
Ceylon Tea is tea grown and manufactured in Sri Lanka—not a flavour, brand or single style.
Altitude, monsoon winds, soil and craft give each growing region a recognisable character. Most production is black tea made by the orthodox method, while green, white, oolong and specialty teas add to the picture.
A two-question journey
Meet the Ceylon Tea
that feels like you.
There is no “best” region—only a character that might speak to you first. Follow your instinct.
12Your cup
01 / 02
How do you want your cup to feel?
Choose your path
Start with what you're curious about.
Short, practical guides—written for newcomers, useful to enthusiasts, and connected to primary sources.
01Complete guide
What makes it Ceylon Tea?
Understand origin, manufacture, regional names and what the protected words on a pack actually mean.
02Regional guideThe seven regions
Compare the landscapes and cup characters that make a small island extraordinarily diverse.
03Grade glossaryGrades, decoded
OP, BOP, FBOPF and more—learn what the letters describe and what they do not.
04Process guideFrom leaf to made tea
Follow withering, rolling, oxidation, firing and sorting from garden to auction.
05Brewing guideA better way to brew
Use leaf, water and time as starting points, then tune the cup to the tea in front of you.
06History guideHistory & people
Trace the story from the first commercial field to the institutions and communities of today.
The seven regions
Geography you can taste.
Regional names are controlled origin designations. The profiles below are useful signposts, not rigid rules—season, garden and manufacture still matter.
High grown · Mountain cool
Nuwara Eliya
Sri Lanka’s most elevated tea country creates the palest cup of the seven—subtle, lifted and quietly complex.
In the cupPale gold
CharacterFloral · light · fragrant
To taste Ceylon Tea is to travel vertically—
from warm southern rain
to cool mountain mist.
One island, held in a cup.From field to factory
How fresh leaf becomes black tea.
“Orthodox” describes a flexible family of manufacturing steps. The maker adjusts each stage to the leaf and the style of tea being created.
- 01
Plucking
Tender shoots—often two leaves and a bud—are selected and brought quickly to the factory.
- 02
Withering
Air moves through the leaf to reduce moisture and make it supple enough to roll.
- 03
Rolling
The leaf is shaped and its cells are gently ruptured, preparing it for oxidation.
- 04
Oxidation
Controlled exposure to oxygen develops colour, aroma and much of black tea's character.
- 05
Firing
Heat stops oxidation and lowers moisture so the made tea can keep its quality.
- 06
Sorting
Tea is separated by leaf size and appearance, producing the grade names seen at auction.
The letters on the pack
Grade describes the leaf.
Not a quality score.
Terms can vary by market and factory. Use them to anticipate leaf size and brewing behaviour, then rely on origin, freshness and the cup itself.
Broken Orange Pekoe
Smaller broken leaf that infuses faster and often gives a brisker, stronger cup.
Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
A broken-leaf grade with visible tips; many further suffixes refine the description.
Pekoe
A compact or curly leaf style, often bold and rounded in the cup.
Fannings
Small particles that brew quickly and are often used where a fast, strong infusion is wanted.
Dust
The smallest particle grades—rapid, colourful and strong, but not automatically poor quality.
Authenticity
Know what the words and symbols promise.
“Ceylon Tea” means the tea was grown and manufactured entirely in Sri Lanka.
The official Lion Logo goes further: it is owned by the Sri Lanka Tea Board and is used on approved packs of 100% Pure Ceylon Tea that are also packed in Sri Lanka. A tea can still be entirely Sri Lankan without carrying the Lion Logo—for example, if it was packed overseas.
Check the stated country of originDistinguish Ceylon Tea from a multi-origin blendUse the Lion Logo as a certification mark—not a brand ranking
Official Lion Logo guidance A practical starting point
Brew for clarity,
then adjust.
There is no single perfect recipe. Start here, taste, and change one variable at a time. Larger whole leaves usually need more room and time; broken grades release strength sooner.
04:00Ready when you are
Choose your steep
A living history
More than 150 years in the making.
Ceylon Tea's story includes invention and global success, but also colonial land systems, labour and communities whose work still sustains the industry.
The commercial beginning
James Taylor establishes a commercial tea field at Loolecondera Estate near Kandy.
Auction rules take shape
The Colombo Tea Traders' Association formalises conditions for public tea sales.
Tea research is institutionalised
The Tea Research Institute is founded to advance science, field practice and manufacture.
The Sri Lanka Tea Board is created
A national authority is established for regulation, quality, promotion and development.
Tradition keeps evolving
Smallholders, estate communities, makers, researchers and traders shape the next chapter.
Ceylon Tea directory
Go to the source.
Explore the regulators, researchers, development bodies, trade institutions and heritage organisations that shape Sri Lanka's tea industry.
01
Regulator & official authority
Visit Tea Board 02Sri Lanka Tea Board
Quality, exports, Lion Logo, regional definitions, statistics and official publications.
Research & extension
Visit TRI 03Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka
Tea science, cultivation, manufacturing research, advisory work and technical publications.
Smallholder development
Visit TSHDA 04Tea Small Holdings Development Authority
The statutory body supporting the country’s tea smallholding sector and grower societies.
Trade & auction governance
Visit CTTA 05Colombo Tea Traders’ Association
Auction rules, market information and representation across the Colombo tea trade.
Export industry body
Visit TEA 06Tea Exporters Association
Industry news, export-sector representation and links to the wider tea ecosystem.
Export information
Visit EDB 07Sri Lanka Export Development Board
Public trade context, sector profiles, statistics and export-development resources.
Public policy
Visit Ministry 08Ministry of Plantation & Community Infrastructure
Government policy, institutions and public services for Sri Lanka’s plantation industries.
History & heritage
Visit Museum Ceylon Tea Museum
Hanthana’s museum of machinery, archives, pioneers and the material history of tea.
Links lead to the organisations' own websites. Inclusion identifies relevance, not endorsement.
Quick answers
Common questions.
Is Ceylon Tea always black tea?+
No. Sri Lanka is best known for orthodox black tea, but it also produces green, white, oolong and other specialty teas. “Ceylon” identifies origin.
Does “Orange Pekoe” mean orange-flavoured?+
No. Orange Pekoe is a traditional leaf-grade term. It does not refer to citrus flavour or orange peel.
Is a whole-leaf grade always better?+
No. Grade mainly describes particle size and appearance. A well-made broken tea can be excellent, and different grades suit different ways of brewing.
Why can two teas from the same region taste different?+
Garden location, elevation, weather, season, cultivar, plucking and factory decisions all influence the finished cup.