Ceylon Sonata

Tea type
Black Tea
Ingredients
Ceylon Sonata
Flavors
Citrus, Drying, Metallic, Smooth, Toasty, Astringent, Herbs, Grass, Tea
Sold in
Bulk, Loose Leaf, Tea Bag
Caffeine
High
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by JulieWyant
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 15 sec 10 g 14 oz / 417 ml

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96 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I’m in a no-frills mood today. My husband had knee surgery on Monday, so I’m pretty much running dead on my feet. I need the warmth, the simplicity, the CAFFEINE to make it through the work day...” Read full tasting note
    80
  • “Almost a sipdown on this one today — two cups worth left. This has been languishing in my desk drawer for a while, so I might take it home and finish it off this weekend. Then I can replace it with...” Read full tasting note
    85
  • “I’d rather drink Adagio’s Irish Breakfast. I’m not sure what’s going on in this one but it seems like some thing is wrong. I find that “tea” taste with quite a bit of bitterness. I swear I’m...” Read full tasting note
    57
  • “Another sample comes to an end. I’m digging this more than usual this morning, I usually prefer Ceylons cold, and like to drink maltier blacks hot.” Read full tasting note
    85

From Adagio Teas

Ceylon Sonata is a classic black tea from Sri Lanka. In colonial times, this island nation was known as Ceylon. This name is still used to describe all teas grown here. Ceylon tea is bright and lively, medium-bodied and delightfully tangy. Our Ceylon Sonata hails from the renowned Kenilworth Estate, located in Sri Lanka’s Kandy region. Fresh, citrusy aroma, sweet juicy notes like mandarin peel or grapefruit, refreshing texture, and balanced astringency. The perfect afternoon tea.

The first tea plant was smuggled into Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) in 1824. While it was not intended for commercial uses at the time, it wasn’t long before more plants arrived, and by 1867, the first tea plantation was founded by Scotsman James Taylor. By the 1880s, following a severe blight in the 1870s, nearly all coffee plantations had converted to tea. Now, Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest producers of tea, with six main growing regions across several elevations and growing conditions.

Black Tea | High caffeine | Steep at 212° for 3-5 minutes.

About Adagio Teas View company

Adagio Teas has become one of the most popular destinations for tea online. Its products are available online at www.adagio.com and in many gourmet and health food stores.

96 Tasting Notes

80
161 tasting notes

I’m in a no-frills mood today. My husband had knee surgery on Monday, so I’m pretty much running dead on my feet. I need the warmth, the simplicity, the CAFFEINE to make it through the work day today. Then, family starts to come in…

Then I swap from teas to Bloody Marys.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
TeaEqualsBliss

positive vibes for a speedy recovery!

Cofftea

Praying for him!

LENA

Thanks you guys! The Steepster community is the absolute best!

gmathis

I just noticed you’re from Murfreesboro! Spent part of a week there in late October for a writers’ conference. (My editor, a dear friend and fellow tea lover, brings her tea chest to keep us all focused and docile!)

LENA

@ gmathis – very cool! hope it was a pleasant visit. let me know if you are in town again and i can tell you about a couple local tea shops.

gmathis

I’m in Nashville 2-3 times a year and have enjoyed a couple of neat excursions — one to a Miss Mabel’s in Dickson, which I understand is now closed, but it was great fun and frou-frou-y. I get occasional care packages from a tea place in Franklin from the same buddy. Hope you have an opportunity to make yourself a cuppa, family notwithstanding, and count your blessings.

Carolyn

Hope the holidays are a blessing for you and that your husband recovers well from knee surgery!

takgoti

Beaming you and your husband all the good brainwaves I’ve got left!

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85
2238 tasting notes

Almost a sipdown on this one today — two cups worth left. This has been languishing in my desk drawer for a while, so I might take it home and finish it off this weekend. Then I can replace it with something new on monday. I always enjoy this one as an everyday black, but it’s definetly time to try something else!

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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57
212 tasting notes

I’d rather drink Adagio’s Irish Breakfast. I’m not sure what’s going on in this one but it seems like some thing is wrong. I find that “tea” taste with quite a bit of bitterness. I swear I’m tasting sour apple as well. There is a fair amount of astringency to it, more than I typically enjoy. The only other ceylon I’ve had seemed sweeter and more behaved. I’ll have to try ceylons out some time too. My to-drink list is getting longer every day.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
ashmanra

It has seemed to me that high grown Ceylons are a bit more astringent than lower grown ones.

Missy

That is good know, it will give me a starting point when I jump into that one. Thanks for the tip.

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85
176 tasting notes

Another sample comes to an end. I’m digging this more than usual this morning, I usually prefer Ceylons cold, and like to drink maltier blacks hot.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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60
358 tasting notes

I’ve not been sleeping well lately, so I moved my bedroom furniture around and slept so perfectly last night. It’s funny how such a small change can make such a big difference.

I am so close to getting through all of my loose leaf teas! I’ve been putting them into tins and labeling them as I go, or tossing them into a swap bag if I’m not in love with them. I still have a huge box of teabags to get through, but I’m feeling more organized and like I can probably allow myself to start ordering new teas now at least.

This is one of the last few Adagio teas that I have in my cupboard to try. It’s kind of a plain little tea, and I guess that’s why I’ve not rated it up until this point. The tea smells fresh and lightly malty and sweet. The recommended steep time was between 3 and 5 minutes, and I’m glad I went with 3 minutes because it is a little bitter in the aftertaste. Adding milk and sweetener too away the bitterness, though. Overall, it’s just a very mellow-flavored tea. It’s not a bad tea by any means, but there’s nothing really jumping out to me about it. It is nice for the summer since it’s so light!

-Dry blend has medium black tea leaves and twigs.
-Dry leaves smell fresh and lightly malty. Tea liquor aroma is lightly sweet.
-Tea liquor is a clear medium reddish brown color.
-Mellow and malty flavor and finish. Slightly bitter aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. A delicate cup. Very mellow and sweet flavor.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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85
190 tasting notes

Not really in a fancy tea mood today, so no-frills it is. I love this tea, it is a staple in my tea cabinet to fall back on when I can’t decide what tea to drink or don’t feel like having anything too extreme. It’s light and surprisingly wonderful.

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85
17 tasting notes

Loved it – and that took some of us by surprise. Although we like Ceylon teas, I didn’t expect to like this one, this much! It’s light, but certainly makes an impact on the taste buds. Very refreshing, very thirst quenching – but what a wonderful way to quench it. It is a subtle tea, but very persuasive about being so.

We brewed this one a little longer than we usually brew our teas – we tend to go for shorter rather than longer. Our usual, preferred black tea brewing time is usually under 3 minutes. We also tested this at our standard 2 minutes 30 seconds for black tea and found all the flavors there. The 3 minutes plus only served to enhance them.

Dry, the leaves were long, tightly curled and thin. They had the dark, bright color that is expected from fresher teas. This Ceylon is a standard “regional” tea and is one of the basic examples of black tea.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 15 sec
Cofftea

I agree. I always like to taste the base that companies use for flavored teas alone.

LENA

Mmmm…this is one of my staples from Adagio.

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85
892 tasting notes

Finally finished this one off! Today it made a nice, malty cup. A bit darker than the last one. Has a nice citrus zest to it. Like an orange peel or something . I like it but it’s not my favorite from Adagio. I probably won’t end up ordering this again just because it was nothing special to me and I think Adagio has a few teas that are better.

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100
110 tasting notes

Came back from a walk at the beach feeling absolutely parched for a cup of tea. This tea is exactly what i was looking for – bright, refreshing and very thirst quenching.

takgoti

Jealous.

Cynthia Carter

Too bad! ;)

takgoti

I’ll remember this. You may think I won’t, but I will.

[I’m shaking my fist.]

Cynthia Carter

I’m shaking in my boots.

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78
81 tasting notes
I love a traditional cuppa! whenever I want a more robust coffee like drink I tend to have Assam but in the afternoons I prefer a variety. I found this particular Ceylon tea quite crisp, not really astringent and a bit sweet and well rounded black tea. There is a bit of a fruity accents along with its traditional bold leafy taste, goes well plain and with cream and sugar! Good in the mornings and afternoons.
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 5 min, 30 sec

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