CEYLON TEAS.
Ceylon Teas—Are comparatively new Teas to commerce, and are known to trade as Matagalas, Mandulsumas, Rakuwanas, Kanda-loyas, Kandapole and Soocan-duris, but as with India Teas they are chiefly converted into silver and golden Pekoe, Congous, Souchongs and Pekoe-Souchongs. Their leaf, liquor and flavor like their India prototypes varies greatly in style and quality, according to the elevation at which they are grown, their uniformity also varying from year to year as in the India districts.
Silver Pekoe—Is a long, whitish, downey-leaf Tea, almost “satiny” in texture, with silvery tips at the ends. The liquor is dark, reddish in color, but bright and sparkling in the cup, delicate and fragrant in flavor for this variety but very much overrated in value.
Golden Pekoe—Is a much smaller leaf Tea, darker in color and somewhat silky in texture and liberally sprinkled with rich, yellow or orange tips while the inferior grades are much darker and heavier in body, but fresh, fragrant and greatly appreciated by consumers who prefer this variety.
Pekoe-Souchong—Is chiefly composed of the Pekoe leaves that are devoid of tips and Souchong containing some tipped leaves, but as a general rule it is an unassorted Tea prepared from the larger and coarser leaves that will not pass through the sieves. It is medium in size and choppy in leaf, but ripe and rich in liquor, fairly brisk and malty in flavor.