On one of our trips to Sri Lanka, our friend Buddika made this tea at his small factory in Ratnapura. Buddika, who was born and raised in Kandy, Sri Lanka, began his career as a trainee tea planter for 17 years before deciding to transition into his own project of producing artisanal teas. Skilled tea artisans carefully pluck and process these leaves by hand. Its rich character lingers on the palate, evoking the untamed essence of Sri Lanka’s highland forests, where the tea is grown on 40-foot-tall trees! Big Ceylon leaves are tied around a vanilla bean, creating a delicious brew.