Here, taste a fine cup of Lapsang Suchong and know this: invading armies, fear and desperation inspired it; it took smoke, wood and earth to make it. Its fragrance is that of the steam that pours out of an engine in the hill country, says one taster, inhaling. Another simply lifts it to the light - admiring its rich woody colour with its highlights of gold. Its flavour is subtle, woody.
It's easy, at tea tasting such as this, to admit that this humble beverage has always had the romance of wine, it has the history, the complexity, and even the need to cultivate a palate for it before one can appreciate it properly. Dilhan Fernando, Managing Director at Dilmah, will also tell you that there's a story worth hearing behind every cup.
 |
| Ceylon Oolong |
On the most discerning tongue, tea is the beverage of a million flavours. The taste varies not only across countries, but from valley to hill top, from tapering tip to stout base; there are as many flavours as there are soil types, as there are changes in temperature and humidity, in precipitation and direct sunshine. But it is the art of the tea maker that truly shapes the tea, says Dilhan.
Tea makers used to be a cagey lot, and the processes by which they made their most traditional brews were jealously guarded (the death penalty awaited a tea maker with a loose mouth). Oolong tea, created by Chinese tea producers living in the foothills, was first made from wild tea bushes sprouting in the rich mineral soils of that region. By chance, one grower allowed his batch to ferment and then decided to brew it anyway. The result was a potent tea that surprised him with its strength and flavour, and then with its popularity.
Lapsang Suchong has more in the way of high drama and Dilhan narrates it with relish.
The story begins in the 1600s with the Qing army invading WuYi Shan region in the northwest of Fujian province. Terrified locals know they must flee the ravaging army, but are determined to save what they can of their tea harvest.
They decide to bury it, but know that if the raw leaves are buried they will simply rot. So they collect pine wood from the forest and make smoke houses in which they then dry their tea. They have just enough time to bury it and escape into the surrounding mountains before the invaders arrive.
Once the dust has settled, the villagers return and dig up the tea - only to find it all ruined. The leaves are dark and crinkled and not at all to their liking.
However, not having much faith in the discernment of the Dutch traders, the villagers offer their pine-smoked tea to the foreigners - who love it. Showing us both the Oolong and the Suchong leaves (the former is full leafed and golden), Dilhan says the teas were harvested and processed entirely by hand - it's a tradition that Dilmah says it wants to continue.
Over recent years the company has offered other distinctive teas like the pale green Japanese sencha, but this is the first time that Sri Lanka will be producing Oolong and Suchong teas. Stressing the artisanal values the company holds, Dilhan says that the emphasis will be on quality rather than on quantity.
You can have your first cup at a Dilmah t-bar. If you choose to do so at the Hilton, the chef has put together the perfect snack to accompany it. If you've never considered anything other than biscuits and cakes as suitable accompaniments for tea, this should change your mind.
Try the smoked chicken with peaches and celery salad alongside your Ceylon Suchong or the poached fillet of sea bass in light cream sauce alongside your Ceylon Oolong. |
E-mail
