Kirkoswald Estate, in Sri Lanka's Dimbula district, sits some 1,300 metres up in the Central Province. Two planters, Kirk and Oswald, laid it out in the mid-19th century after the region's coffee industry collapsed, and they ran it until they died in the late 1800s. This FBOP grade — Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe — comes from leaf broken into smaller pieces during manufacture, which is what gives it a stronger, more concentrated flavour in the cup.
Pour it and you get a coppery, light-toned liquor with lemon and orange running through the cup alongside honey sweetness, a coffee-like depth, and a thick body. Milk suits it well, which tracks with the FBOP style generally, though it holds up fine on its own too.
Black tea of this kind carries theaflavins and thearubigins, the antioxidant compounds credited with much of black tea's traditional reputation for supporting general health. It also has a moderate amount of caffeine — around 45mg per 8oz cup, noticeably less than coffee.
To brew it, use freshly boiled water and steep for three to five minutes. Serve it with milk or a milk alternative, sweetened with sugar or honey, with a squeeze of lemon, or simply black — whichever way you take your tea. Tea & Coffee packs this one fresh to order rather than holding stock, which is worth knowing if you're weighing freshness against other Ceylon FBOPs on the market.