Tea – a drink consumed in households and workplaces throughout the world – was first discovered purely by accident. While many myths and legends surround the discovery of tea, one story stands out most accurately. According to the tale the history of tea originates in the year 2737 B.C. during the reign of the Chinese emperor Chen Nung. The Emperor was popularly known as the “Divine Healer” as he was responsible for identifying the medical properties of many herbs. One day while the Emperor was on a journey he stopped for a drink of water. While he boiled the water to purify it, a few leaves from a nearby tea tree fell into the imperial pot. The scent and flavour emanating from the tea leaves was to the Emperor’s liking – and with that first cup the humble tea leaf made its royal debut. For many centuries however, the only tea that was consumed was dried green tea leaves, which originated in China. Black tea was yet to be discovered. Until 850 AD tea was also prepared by simply boiling the tea leaves in water, not through today’s process of brewing. Traditionally there were three methods through which tea was prepared: Boiling Tea – Classical Period Whisking Tea – Romantic Period Brewing Tea – Naturalistic Period The Classical Period This period in the history of tea lasted till about 850 AD. The tea leaves were first steamed and then ground with a pestle and mortar, then mixed with rice, ginger, salt, orange peel, spice, milk and onions and eventually boiled. The resulting concoction was a syrupy mixture of leaves. This form of tea bares a resemblance to the tea served with yak butter in Tibet today. During this period tea was also simply boiled and served. The Romantic Period During the Romantic period, tea was “whisked” – a method made popular in the time of the Song dynasty (960-1279AD). The dried unfermented leaves were ground into a fine powder, after which it was added to boiling water and whisked into a thick sauce, with the aid of a bamboo brush. This form of tea preparation is carried out with much flair even today at the world renowned Japanese Tea Ceremonies. The Naturalistic Period Tea “whisking” was replaced by “brewing” during the Chinese “Ming Dynasty” – the method of preparation that is practiced throughout the world today. Black tea also surpassed green tea in popularity during the Naturalistic Period.

The story of Ceylon tea begins over two hundred years ago, when the country that is now known as Sri Lanka, was still a British colony. Coffee was the dominant crop on the island, and intrepid British men journeyed across oceans to begin a new life on coffee plantations. However, coffee was not destined to succeed in Ceylon. Towards the close of the 1860’s the coffee plantations were struck by Hemileia Vostatrix, coffee rust, better known as coffee leaf disease or ‘coffee blight’. As the coffee crop died, planters switched to the production and cultivation of tea. Experimental planting of tea had already begun in 1839 in the botanical gardens of Peradeniya, close to the royal city of Kandy. These plants had arrived from Assam and Calcutta through the East India Company. Commercial cultivation of tea commenced in Ceylon in 1867. Reflecting on the bold initiative, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stated that, “…the tea fields of Ceylon are as true a monument to courage as is the lion at Waterloo”. James Taylor, a Scotsman, played a significant role in the development of Ceylon Tea. A perfectionist by nature, Taylor experimented with tea cultivation and leaf manipulation in order to obtain the best possible flavour from the tea leaves. Taylor’s methods were emulated by other planters and soon, Ceylon Tea was being favourably received by buyers in London, proving that tea could be a profitable plantation crop. In 1872 the first official Ceylon tea was shipped to England and contained two packages of 23lbs. The first recorded shipment, however, was dispatched to England in 1877 aboard the vessel The Duke of Argyll. By the 1880s almost all the coffee plantations in Ceylon had been converted to tea. British planters looked to their counterparts at the East India Company and the Assam Company in India for guidance on crop cultivation. Coffee stores were rapidly converted to tea factories to meet the demand for tea. As tea production in Ceylon progressed, new factories were constructed and an element of mechanization was introduced. Machinery for factories was brought in from England. Marshals of Gainsborough – Lancashire, Tangyes Machine Company of Birmingham, and Davidsons of Belfast supplied machines that are in use even today. As Ceylon tea gained in popularity throughout the world, a need arose to mediate and monitor the sale of tea. An auction system was established and on 30 July 1883 the first public sale of tea was conducted. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce undertook responsibility for the auctions, and by 1894 the Ceylon Tea Traders Association was formed. Today almost all tea produced in Sri Lanka is conducted by these two organizations.

Tea has made a distinguishing mark in world trade; and brewing a perfect cup of tea has been worked out to a fine art. Until the early part of the 19th century wholesalers and retailers marketed unblended tea. This method was impractical for consumers as the quality of the tea varied with each consignment. Thus evolved the practice of retailing a blend with a pre-set formula to offset seasonal and other variances in characteristics, providing the consumer with the same cup of tea throughout the year. This demand for a certain standard to be maintained throughout the year was what created a new breed of professionals known as Tea Tasters. The distinct skill is not totally inherent in a tea taster, but could be learnt over a period of time and practice. This skill enables him/her to differentiate the subtleties in any particular tea. Tea tasting has been compared to wine tasting, and does share some similarities; this skilful profession requires an individual to have a delicately discriminating nose and palate, and good eyesight. Experienced tea tasters have these senses of sight, taste and smell developed to the highest possible level. To taste tea in a professional manner one requires the basic equipment of a tea taster, which are: A tea tasting set - includes a tasting bowl and a specialized brewing cup with a lid. A weighing scale - to measure accurately an exact 3 grams of tea. A tasting spoon - which is essentially a spoon similar to a soup spoon but is deeper in order to hold more volume of liquid. A spittoon - to spit out the tea that you taste. A timer - to brew tea for 3 or 4 minutes precisely. It is possible to taste with or without milk, though tasting without milk is desired for sharper judgement. Sweeteners however are strictly prohibited. Basic Tasting Techniques Take a spoonful of tea to the tasting spoon. Place the spoon on the edge of your lower lip. Take an inward short and powerful breath of air that will spray the tea into your mouth. The aim here is to spray the tea so that it will hit the back of you palette. Once the tea is sprayed into your mouth you then move it around your mouth, sucking in further short bursts of air, in order to release the more delicate characteristics inherent in the tea. Once you have tasted the tea you spit out into the spittoon.