Ceylon Ivory vs. Ceylon Gold – Teakruthi

TEAKRUTHI – TALE OF TWO TEAS

The Great Ceylon Challenge

Tea Selection: Ceylon Gold vs Ceylon Ivory

Company Name: Teakruthi Tea

Location: Sri Lanka

It’s really not versus as much as it is a comparison of the two teas. I was asked 

 “What’s the difference between Ceylon Ivory and Ceylon Gold”? by

TEA SCIENTIST 

I decided to set aside some time to do a side-by-side comparison of the two Sri Lankan Teas from Teakruthi. Sri Lanka also has six tea growing regions that allow tea to grow all year round.

Interesting Highlights of Ceylon Ivory and Gold Teas

Ceylon Ivory

I love the whole leaf and stems in this tea, it really stands out as a true single origin tea, hand picked and processed in a way to preserve its leaf. The Ceylon Ivory is from the Sri Lanka’s Ruhuna (Southern or Matara) region

Brewed at 185F for 5 minutes, test was done on the 2ndsteeping.

Ceylon Gold

A more needle of the leaf rolled tightly into a needle shape, very firm. Ceylon Gold teas come from the Nuwara Eliya (High grown) region. Brewed at 185F for 4 minutes, test was done on the 2ndsteeping

I enjoy that both teas packaged and shipped to me in the United States still came whole with little damage to the leaves.

Ingredients

Both teas are processed as ‘White Teas’ are while still a young bud enclosed in leaves. 

During processing the Ceylon Gold leaves are dipped in tea liquor and sundried to get its golden color.

 Sri Lanka has 6 tea growing regions that allow tea to grow all year round.

Review

 Brewed

• Ceylon Ivory
  • As you can guess from the name it’s a light very light yellow tint liquor

• Ceylon Gold
  • The same with the Ceylon Gold, a golden shade between a yellow and brown liquor.

Scent

• Ceylon Ivory
  • Grassy, Muddy and Woody aroma

• Ceylon Gold
  • Meadow, Sweet, Roasted Nutty aroma

Flavor

• Ceylon Ivory
  • Once brewed this tea really mellows out as the tea releases its flavor into the water with a very mellow slightly nutty/earthy flavor. The scent is one of a light earthy scent.

• Ceylon Gold
  • Prior to brew this tea had a sweet almost floral or meadow scent. Despite the medium brown liquor this tea was mellow however slightly more bold then the Ceylon Ivory. The Ceylon Gold has a nutty roasted flavor with a floral undertone.

Sentiments

Both of these teas are exceptional.  Single Origin and top of the line in quality and taste.  If you are looking for a quality tea, I’d look no further and give these two a try.  Both unique yet share so many qualities. I’ve included links through the blog to the teas but will post them here for convenience.  

CEYLON IVORY

CEYLON GOLD

When you try them, let me know what you think.  

AVERAGE BREWING INSTRUCTIONS

Time and Temperature Guide

• • Black                      95°C / 205°F 3 – 5 minutes
  • Oolong/White      85°C / 185°F 3 – 4    minutes
  • Green/Yellow       80°C / 176°F 2 – 3     minutes
  • Herbal/Tisanes.   100°C / 212°F 5 – 15  minutes

What Teakruthi Tea Say About Their Tea

Ceylon Ivory is the treasured treat that is pure Ceylon White tea and is crafted with the utmost care: it is hand-plucked, naturally withered and gently hand-rolled before firing. Made from the first leaf of a pea shoot from the clone, Ceylon Ivory is fresh, light, mild, and nutty in flavour, and appears pale yellow in cloud. This tea offers a pure drinking experience that is delicate in both flavour and aroma.

Ceylon Gold is a special type of ‘Gold Tips’ White Tea and has undergone a very special, careful process to give it its fine, splendid flavour. Ceylon Gold harvested from a young tea bush before the buds have opened. From there, the buds are dried in natural sunlight, allowing the tips to maintain their velvety golden colour. Since the young buds are so delicate, they are handled with the utmost care. This tea is from an estate in Hatton in Nuwara Eliya. It is western high grown and displays a brownish gold colour in the cup. This fine tea boasts a light, fine, tart flavour that we can only attribute to the time and care dedicated to harvesting and processing this tea.