From Plantation to Cup: How Taylor's Tea is Crafted
From Plantation to Cup: How Taylor's Tea is Crafted
Every leaf that goes into a Taylor's Tea blend is chosen with the same care and precision that has defined our craft for generations.
The journey from lush tea garden to your morning cup is a story of skilled hands, careful timing, and generations of expertise. At Taylor's Tea, we partner with some of Sri Lanka's finest highland estates to bring you a tea experience rooted in tradition and quality.
It all begins at the plucking table. Skilled tea pluckers — many of whom have spent decades mastering the craft — harvest only the top two leaves and the bud of each tea shoot. This selective harvesting, known as 'fine plucking,' ensures only the youngest, most flavor-rich leaves make it into our blends. During peak season, an experienced plucker can harvest up to 30 kilograms of fresh leaves in a single day.
Freshly plucked leaves are transported to the factory within hours, where the first stage of processing begins: withering. The leaves are spread across long troughs and air is blown through them for 12 to 18 hours. This reduces moisture content from around 75% to 55%, making the leaves pliable and concentrating their flavors.
Next comes rolling, where the withered leaves are twisted and broken to release their natural juices and enzymes — essential for the oxidation stage that follows. During oxidation, the rolled leaves are spread in a cool, humid room and left to react with oxygen. This is the process that turns them from green to the rich copper-brown color we associate with black tea, and it develops the flavor, color, and aroma that make Ceylon tea distinctive.
After oxidation, the leaves pass through a high-temperature dryer that arrests the process and reduces moisture to just 2–3%. The dried tea is then sorted, graded, and carefully blended by our tea master before being packed freshly and sealed to preserve every nuance of flavor. From plantation to your cup, every step is guided by our commitment to delivering the finest Ceylon tea experience.
It all begins at the plucking table. Skilled tea pluckers — many of whom have spent decades mastering the craft — harvest only the top two leaves and the bud of each tea shoot. This selective harvesting, known as 'fine plucking,' ensures only the youngest, most flavor-rich leaves make it into our blends. During peak season, an experienced plucker can harvest up to 30 kilograms of fresh leaves in a single day.
Freshly plucked leaves are transported to the factory within hours, where the first stage of processing begins: withering. The leaves are spread across long troughs and air is blown through them for 12 to 18 hours. This reduces moisture content from around 75% to 55%, making the leaves pliable and concentrating their flavors.
Next comes rolling, where the withered leaves are twisted and broken to release their natural juices and enzymes — essential for the oxidation stage that follows. During oxidation, the rolled leaves are spread in a cool, humid room and left to react with oxygen. This is the process that turns them from green to the rich copper-brown color we associate with black tea, and it develops the flavor, color, and aroma that make Ceylon tea distinctive.
After oxidation, the leaves pass through a high-temperature dryer that arrests the process and reduces moisture to just 2–3%. The dried tea is then sorted, graded, and carefully blended by our tea master before being packed freshly and sealed to preserve every nuance of flavor. From plantation to your cup, every step is guided by our commitment to delivering the finest Ceylon tea experience.
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