Vithanakande Black Tea

A distinctive low-grown Ceylon black tea with a remarkably round, smooth character and natural notes of bittersweet chocolate, honey, and subtle fruit.

The Experience

Vithanakande Black Tea is an excellent reminder that elevation alone does not determine the quality of a tea.

Produced in the Ratnapura District of Sri Lanka, this pure black tea is grown at relatively low elevation—a region whose teas are often valued for richness and body rather than the brighter character associated with some higher-grown Ceylons. Vithanakande stands out for its particularly refined and satisfying cup.

The beautifully worked dark leaves are streaked with gold and brew into a medium-bodied, exceptionally round tea. Bittersweet chocolate leads the flavor profile, softened by a natural honey-like sweetness and followed by a mild fruity undertone.

Nothing has been added to create those flavors. The ingredient is simply black tea. For customers who think of Ceylon primarily as brisk breakfast tea, Vithanakande reveals another side of Sri Lanka: smooth, naturally sweet, dark-toned, and wonderfully nuanced.

Tasting Notes

• Top: Honey • Subtle fruit
  
• Mid: Bittersweet chocolate • Rich black tea
  
• Finish: Smooth • Round • Gently sweet
  
• Body: Medium

Why You’ll Love It

• Distinctive single-origin Ceylon black tea
• Grown in Sri Lanka's low-elevation Ratnapura District
• Natural notes of bittersweet chocolate, honey, and fruit
• Remarkably round and smooth in the cup
• Beautiful dark leaves accented with golden streaks
• OP1 — a fine Orange Pekoe leaf grade
• Pure tea with no added flavors
• An excellent afternoon tea for drinkers who appreciate nuanced black teas

Origin, Grade & Ingredients

Tea Type: Pure Black Tea
Grade: OP1 — Orange Pekoe 1
Origin: Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka
Ingredients: Black tea
Added Flavoring: None
Caffeine: Yes
Body: Medium

How to Brew

Use 1 level teaspoon per 6 oz / 177 ml of water at 212°F / 100°C and steep for 4–5 minutes.

For your first cup, we recommend starting around 4 minutes and drinking it straight. This allows you to distinguish the natural honey, chocolate, and subtle fruit notes before adding anything else.

Although it can accommodate a small amount of milk, Vithanakande's naturally round texture and sweetness make it especially rewarding without additions.

Perfect For

Vithanakande is particularly well suited to afternoon tea, quiet mornings, contemplative tasting, or anyone who enjoys smooth black tea without aggressive astringency. Pair it with dark chocolate, shortbread, toasted nuts, almond pastries, mild cheeses, honey cake, or buttery biscuits.

Chocolate & Honey—With Nothing Added

Vithanakande is an especially useful tea for learning the difference between tasting notes and ingredients. There is no chocolate, no honey, no fruit flavoring; the only ingredient is black tea. Yet the brewed leaf can suggest bittersweet cocoa, honey, and subtle fruit. Those impressions emerge naturally from the tea's growing conditions and processing.

If you primarily drink flavored teas, try Vithanakande without looking for one exact flavor. Sip it hot, then return to the cup as it cools. Natural sweetness and cocoa-like characteristics can become easier to recognize at different temperatures. It's an excellent exercise in discovering how much flavor the tea leaf itself can create.

Packaging: Our loose teas are sold by the ounce and packaged in food-grade resealable bags.

Explore Our Pure Ceylon Black Teas

Vithanakande Black Tea (This Tea)
Bittersweet chocolate • Honey • Subtle fruit
→ Best for: a smooth, round Ceylon with naturally sweet and dark-toned complexity

Kenilworth Ceylon Estate Black Tea
Oak • Malt • Bright
→ Try next if: you want to compare Vithanakande with a more robust estate Ceylon

Lover’s Leap Ceylon Black Tea
Bright • Refined • High-grown Ceylon character
→ Try next if: you want to explore how elevation and terroir can produce a very different expression of Sri Lankan black tea