Basilur Tea: Pure Ceylon

One of my favourite pieces of writing to read is a poem by Issac Watts, called False Greatness. My favourite part goes, as follows: If I could reach from pole to pole or grasp the ocean with a span,I would be measured by the soul, The mind’s the standard of the Man.

The poem was often used by Joseph Merrick, more often known as The Elephant Man. He used this line to sign off his letters. A plaintive cry, most likely, to the reader, telling them not to judge his outward appearance, but judge him by his soul and intellect. (For the record Mr Merrick was said to be caring and kind with a intelligence as sharp as a needle).

Of course we all judge things. Even when it comes to tea. When I first started out on my tea journey, when I didn't know a chai from a oolong or a green tea from a white tea, I would go, wide eyed into a shop, and pick the prettiest packaging, or the tea with the most impressive and complicated flavourings.

Experience, of course, changes our outlook. But during my lengthy tea education, I have learned that the most important way you can judge a tea company is not by the packaging, and it's not by the complicated, high flavoured tea's they produce (flavourings can hide a multitude of sins) but the quality of it's actual tea, both pure and uncomplicated.

When you strip a tea of it's adornments and take it in it's pure state there is nothing nicer, or if it's done badly, nothing worse. But it's pure tea that brings me the most joy.

Recently, I've gotten to know Basilur Tea.  A lovely man named Robert, reached out through social media and offered me some samples. From that point onwards I've been a wee bit in love with Basilur tea. I've tried several of their tea's and have been smitten, but it's with this blend, their pure Ceylon tea that I have found total joy.

When the Pure Ceylon tea arrived on Monday, I will admit (and I did tell Robert this!) that I was stood in my kitchen, in my pyjama's hugging this tea. I adore Ceylon tea and couldn't wait to try it on it's own, without anything added.

Firstly, I absolutely love the look of this tea. I love how the leaves are dark in colour and curled up into tiny little balls. In fact it reminds me of gunpowder green tea, because it has a similar appearance.

I generously filled a teabag full of tea and waited for it to infuse. I left it for several minutes and this tea infuses to a lovely, dark mahogany colour. Just so pretty to look at. But what of it's taste?

From the moment I tried this tea I realised that its going to be very hard to beat this! I don't actually think I've tried a pure tea that I've gelled with so quickly. Before I knew it I was on my second and then third cup! And this evening I'm blogging about the blend, so have had several today - purely for research purposes!

There is something so utterly delicious about this tea that it's almost hard to put into words.

It's a delicate tea, yet at the same time, satisfying too. Sometimes, I find delicate tea's leave me underwhelmed yet not with this tea. This is perfect to relax to after a hard day at work, or after a stressful day. It's comforting but still packs a wonderful punch.

As the tea cools, it takes on a slightly nutty element which as a fan of Yunnan tea, this was a very pleasing thing for me. From the first sip it leaves me wanting more. I cannot believe how addictive this tea actually is.

As a true tea lover I have many reactions to tea. "Yeah, that's nice", which roughly translates into, it's okay but I wont buy it again. When I'm starting to boil the kettle, and filling another teabag with a tea, before the previous cup has even been finished, then that just goes to prove how good a tea it is. And that's exactly what I did this afternoon.

It's hard to write about a pure tea. It's must easier to describe a flavoured tea. All I can say about this blend it it's bloody lovely. Easy to drink and is so very, very good for my soul. This is a joy to drink, and it makes me happy when I have a cup. Some women get those emotions from eating a huge bar of chocolate, for me it's Ceylon tea all the way.

If you don't trust me on anything else that I may write, please trust me on this. Basilur Tea produce some of the most gorgeous tea's I've had the pleasure to try. Their website is just awesome and they sell some of the cutest tea caddie's going.

But on a serious note, if you love high quality tea and want to experience something totally different then do look around their website. I'm certain you'll find something you'll absolutely love.

If my relationship with Basilur Tea were a romantic one, it would be one of those surprising meet and get married with six weeks types! Sometimes you just gel with a company. You gel with the tea they offer. You can't explain it. You just do.

Here's hoping you'll feel the same way. And lets be honest, there's nothing nicer then browsing a website looking for tea, is there?