To make black tea the tea leaves are first withered, then rolled or tumbled, then fully fermented and fired. Fermentation or oxidation occurs throughout the rolling process, turning the leaves from green to coppery red. These leaves result in liquor darker than that of other teas.

There are two methods for manufacturing tea, either CTC or Orthodox. The CTC method involves the rolled leaves passing through a series of cylindrical rollers with hundreds of sharp “teeth” that Crush, Tear and Curl. While tea made this way is financially more rewarding it sacrifices the delicate natural flavours of tea for the sake of convenience.

Staying true to the origins of authentic Ceylon tea all Dilmah Tea is made the Orthodox way, as detailed below, which allows Dilmah to keep the promise of sharing a cup of Ceylon’s finest tea. The terroir of tea, or where it is grown, affects its taste and personality creating a wide variety of black teas.