Dilmah’s authenticities

1. Pure Ceylon tea leaves

The Ceylon tea, named after the geographical region where the tea plant is grown, is an authentic tea from Sri Lanka that benefits from the area’s unique topography and environment. Dilmah claims that it pays special attention to how the finest tea leaves are picked, thus not only preserving the taste but also doing fair business by protecting the heritage of the tea industry and encouraging the artisanal style of tea making.

 2. Unblended tea

Another factor that adds to its authenticity is the fact that Dilmah tea is devoid of any blends, thus providing uncompromised original quality. As opposed to blended teas, which have become popular because of their inexpensive price tags, Dilmah refuses to compromise its teas freshness and authenticity by blending it, even if its prices are higher, which limits its market reach.

 3. Freshness

The flavour, aroma, and characteristics of a tea are heavily dependent on how fresh the tea leaves are. As the tea ages, it absorbs moisture, which can release toxins – not only degrading its flavour but also reducing the amount of antioxidants in it. Dilmah, therefore, is extremely particular about the production process and its supply chain to maintain the freshness of the tea it produces.

 4. Singe-origin tea

In picking tea leaves, the origin is crucial, as it can be a determining factor in taste and aroma. The single-origin tea is further proof of its commitment to avoid blended teas, as the idea of multi-origin blends is strongly rejected. This is how Dilmah stands true to its promise of providing the finest quality of tea to its users and maintains its authentic value.

 5. Passionate tea maker

The quality of tea can be affected by a number of variables, from soil to climate and cultivation techniques. This makes standardisation rather difficult to achieve and, thus tea producing is considered more of an art than science. This renders the passion and integrity of the tea grower and harvester quite important. In the case of Dilmah, the founder Merrill J. Fernando’s strong passion for the art of tea growing and dedication to serving the tea farming community also makes it different from its peers.

 6. Ethical business practice

Dilmah’s founder Fernando has nurtured its philosophy of ‘business as a matter of human service’ in running the company, thus putting special emphasis on ethics, integrity, and sustainability. Through the MJF Charitable Foundation, Dilmah actively gives back to the community by helping over 100,000 underprivileged Sri Lankans by 2015 – by working on the principle of social justice. The foundation runs a number of social and environmental projects, helping small entrepreneurs, rural villages, community welfare, kids’ programs, culinary schools, and so on. Dilmah Conservation, in contrast, combines the foundation’s work with environmental and wildlife conservation efforts.

 7. Traditional methods

The traditional artisanal method of picking the finest tea leaves is pertinent to maintaining the quality of Dilmah teas. Any error in the method of tea processing and the impact is big on the tea’s flavour and aroma. The traditional art of handpicking two leaves and a bud requires sincere practice and patience, something Dilmah strives to encourage in its community of tea growers. The crush tear curl (CTC) method, in contrast, offers a quicker and cheaper alternative but compromises tea quality and flavour.

 8. Finest quality

Whether it is the promise of garden-fresh tea leaves or the unwavering commitment to single origin and unblended composition. Dilmah’s focus on quality leaves no margin of error. The pursuit of the finest quality is adhered to at every step in the process, from handpicking tea to the artisanal style of preparing it for consumption.

 9. Natural goodness

The naturalness of tea makes it distinctive. From the appearance to aroma and taste, it is nature at play in making Dilmah’s tea authentic and true to its natural goodness. By adhering to the artisanal style of production, Dilmah tea ensures natural freshness and aroma, which is evident in every cup of tea.

 10. Pioneer in the tea industry

This last factor contributes most to the authenticity of Dilmah, as it is a pioneer in bringing unblended single-origin tea to tea lovers back home and across the world and thereby, reinstating the authentic flavours of Ceylon tea globally. This turned out to be a paradigm shift in the way Dilmah emerged as a family-owned tea company, offering garden-fresh tea, originated directly from tea growers – unadulterated – on to consumers’ tables. This pioneering effort is continued through innovation in the form of signature events, such as Dilmah The Culinaire, Dilmah Tea Sommelier, Chefs and the Teamaker, Tea in Five Senses, Mixologists and the Teamaker and Real High Tea, and not to forget the Dilmah School of Tea, which imparts knowledge on artisanal aspects of tea to hospitality professionals and tea connoisseurs.