This is an Earl Grey built on leaf from one part of Sri Lanka: Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (FBOP) from the Kandy region in the western highlands, scented with bergamot and finished with a sprinkling of cornflowers. It comes from the Classic Gold Collection by JAF TEA, packed as loose whole leaf in a gold caddy holding 175g (6.17 oz), which makes it as suitable for giving as for keeping by the kettle.
The dry leaf is wiry and well twisted, and the caddy sums up the character as classical bergamot with citrus notes. In the cup the tea is delicately balanced and light-bodied, with the zest and freshness of the bergamot at the front. JAF TEA places it at 2 on its three-step strength guide, the middle of the scale.
Earl Grey takes its name from a popular 19th-century British Prime Minister, and it has long been one of the most familiar flavoured teas in the world. What sets this caddy apart from the many others on the shelf is the base: a Ceylon tea from a named region, with its origin printed on the side of the tin along with a small map of the island.
JAF TEA is the flagship brand of Jafferjee Brothers, a Sri Lankan family tea business trading since 1944. The company describes its teas as single origin and handpicked, and says it packs them within days of harvesting in Sri Lanka. The caddy carries the Ceylon Tea symbol, a Packed at Origin ethical tea mark, and Certified Vegan Production and Certified Non-GMO Production marks.
The lid arrives closed with a branded seal. For brewing, JAF TEA's guide for its loose-leaf Kandy Earl Grey is a good starting point: 2g of leaf to 200 ml of water at 100°C, steeped for 3 minutes.
