The CURIOSITY Shop

OUR  ICED  HOUSE  TEA

SWEET  &  UNSWEETENED

KIRKOSWALD

Estate  Black  Tea

 

 

Good leaf appearance and full bodied with lovely flavour. The cup is coppery bright with golden notes. Brisk with hints of flowery fragrance that is unique to this estate. Grade: FBOP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe).

This black tea comes from the famous Kirkoswald Estate in the Dimbula region of Sri Lanka. The Kirkoswald estate is known for their ability to produce high quality black teas with a robust and intense flavour.
Dimbula Tea is perhaps the most famous among Sri Lankan (Ceylon) teas, as Dimbula was one of the first areas to be planted after tea took over from coffee in Ceylon in 1870's. The area of Dimbula covers slopes on the Western high grounds of Sri Lanka from 3,500 to 5000 feet. The South-West Monsoon rains have a significant impact on the quality of Dimbula teas. The leaves of Dimbula Tea are long and wiry and give an exquisite taste, with body and strength and a powerful aroma.
Not only do we serve Kiroswald as our house tea (made fresh daily - from the leaf tea and NOT from a concentrate!) but we also sell loose leaf Kirkoswald by the ounce.  Priced at $ 4.25 per ounce.

KIRKOSWALD (Estate Black Tea)

Country of Origin: Sri Lanka

Region: Dimbula - Bogo Valley

Grade: FBOP (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe)

Altitude: 4000 - 4500 feet above sea level

Manufacture Type: Orthodox Cup

Characteristics: Good leaf appearance and full bodied with lovely flavour. The cup is coppery bright with golden notes.

Infusion: Tending bright with golden yellow highlights.

Ingredients: Luxury black tea.

Information: Kirkoswald was developed as a tea estate by 2 partners. Kirk and Oswald. Initially they cultivated coffee but the devastating coffee blight in the mid 1800's caused them to switch to tea. Kirk and Oswald remained as the owners and managers of the estate until their deaths in the late 1800's. In 2002 Kirkoswald won two awards given by the Tea Association of the USA for the best Pekoe and FBOP from the Dimbula District. Crowning achievements for a well run estate.

Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of Aislaby for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Even though milk and a dash of sugar help capture the floral character of this tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea ‘straight-up’.

Iced tea brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].

Please note that this tea may tend to go cloudy or ‘milky’ when poured over ice; a perfectly normal characteristic of high quality black teas and nothing to worry about!