Thirty five participants, the majority of whom were post-graduate students of Cambridge University attended a tea tasting ceremony organised by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in London, jointly with the Darwin College Tea Society of Cambridge University and the International Tea Committee (ITC) in the UK.
The Ceylon tea tasting and awareness session was conducted on March 1, 2025 at the Darwin Hall of Darwin College. The program was held under the theme of the Darwin College Tea Society, ‘Travel with Tea’, as part of the Society’s annual cultural promotion activities.
The Tea tasting ceremony consisted of a serving of four varieties of specialty Ceylon teas with Sri Lankan ginger cookies and other delicacies. The participants explored the rich history and diversity of Ceylon tea with seven regional varieties and a range of flavours, along with its overall industry and economic aspects, cultural significance and the health benefits.
They enjoyed tasting the exquisite Ceylon teas whilst having vibrant discussions about the art of professional tea brewing and the subtleties that make each cup unique. The participants who represented different parts of the world said that the session was an eye-opening experience for them.
President of the Darwin College Tea Society, Agustina Villalba together with Treasurer Kui Li, worked closely with Minister (Commercial) of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in London, Somasena Mahadiulwewa and Executive Director of the ITC-UK, Suranga James Perera to organise the tea tasting evening.
Executive Director Perera who is also a professional tea taster and tea tutor at the UK Tea Academy with a wealth of experience in the Ceylon tea trade and tea tasting, has career track records with leading tea brokers and as the CEO of the Ceylon tea brokers in 2010 conducted the tasting session.
The program included a presentation he conducted where a screening of Ceylon tea videos by the Sri Lanka Tea Board in addition to the Tea tasting ceremony were showcased.
