Lakpura® Single Region Ruhuna Black Tea is a low-grown tea from Ruhuna, the deep south of Sri Lanka. It makes a dark, strong, generous cup, the kind of tea that holds its own with milk and sugar.
Ruhuna stretches from the coastal plains around Galle and Matara up to the southern edge of the Sinharaja rain forest. The country is warm and wet, and tea here is grown largely by smallholders, often on small plots between coconut palms and paddy fields, then made in local factories that turn out a wide range of orthodox grades.
In the heat of the lowlands the bushes grow fast and produce large leaves, and the soil gives the made tea a striking blackness. The liquor brews dark, with a full, robust flavour and a malty note, and the cup can be thick and sweet with or without milk. The Sri Lanka Tea Board calls the region's tea distinctively unique.
The family comes in two formats. The 100g pack holds BOP grade loose leaf, Broken Orange Pekoe, a small broken leaf that brews strong in the pot. The 50g box holds 25 tea bags of BOPF grade, Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings, a finer particle that gives a quick, robust cup.
Brew it with freshly boiled water and give it a good steep. It makes an excellent breakfast tea with milk, and a bold black cup for anyone who likes strength. Once opened, keep the pack sealed and away from light, moisture and strong smells.
