Lipton Ceylonta is a black tea from Sri Lanka, sold here in a 100g box of 50 tea bags. It is one of the everyday brews found in Sri Lankan kitchens and offices, and a straightforward way to keep a familiar cup of Ceylon tea in the cupboard at home.
The yellow box shows a sunlit tea estate and a steaming cup beside the words Quality No1. It also carries the Ceylon Tea lion symbol with the words Pure Ceylon Tea. That lion is a mark owned by the Sri Lanka Tea Board, and brands that use it must pack their tea in Sri Lanka and fill the pack with nothing but Ceylon tea.
The Lipton name has a long connection with the island. Thomas Lipton visited what was then British Ceylon in 1890 and did business with James Taylor, the planter remembered for the first commercial tea gardens in the country.
The tea brews full-bodied, with a rich aroma, a golden colour and a crisp taste. It can be taken strong and plain, or with a splash of milk and a little sweetness, which is how a great many cups are poured in Sri Lanka. With the tea already portioned into bags, making one cup or a pot for several people is simple.
