Basilur's Tea Book Volume III is a Ceylon green loose-leaf tea blended with a medley of fruit ingredients — freeze-dried strawberries, diced cranberries, cantaloupe flavour, passion fruit, and raspberry — all sourced together to produce a cup that reads as bright and summery regardless of the season. The tea itself is graded YH (Young Hyson), meaning only the first two leaves, still in the bud, are used, which gives the brew a notably delicate character and a subtle, clean flavour that lets the fruit notes sit comfortably alongside rather than compete with the tea.
The tea is produced in Sri Lanka and carries the Ceylon Tea Symbol of Quality — the Sri Lanka Tea Board's Lion Logo — confirming that the leaf meets the standards set by the Ceylon Tea Board. A hundred grams of loose leaf is sealed inside a zipper-lock foil pouch, which sits inside the tin caddy, keeping the blend fresh between uses.
The outer container is Basilur's signature book-shaped tin caddy, finished in deep green with gold decorative motifs. The front panel features a baroque-style ornamental frame enclosing a winter castle illustration; the spine carries the Basilur Tea medallion, gold horizontal bar details, and the Volume III emblem. The caddy opens exactly as a book would, with the pages edge printed in gold with the Basilur name running vertically. It is a considered piece of packaging that works as well on a shelf as it does as a gift.
To brew, Basilur recommends one teaspoon of leaves per cup, water heated to 80°C, and a steeping time of two to three minutes. Green tea brewed at lower temperatures than black tea — boiling water tends to flatten the flavour — so a brief rest off the boil before pouring makes a tangible difference to the result. The blend can also be enjoyed with a small measure of honey, which draws out the fruit character of the cranberry and strawberry.
