N°22 Ceylon Cinnamon 4 quills

From time immemorial, Ceylon cinnamon, also known as true cinnamon, has been grown and processed according to the precise traditional techniques in Sri Lanka (previously named Ceylon until 1972). When compared with the more widely-known and accessible Cassia cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon is lighter in colour and more fragile, has a more delicious, sweet flavour, and a softer fragrance.

Ceylon cinnamon comes from the Ceylon cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume). The cinnamon farmers take intense care of their plantations; they maintain the height of the trees at 3 metres and only harvest their cinnamon 4 years after they’ve been planted.

First, the outer part of the bark must be removed from the cinnamon tree, as only the thin inner layer may be used as a spice. The purified inner bark is cut into strips to be dried in the sun. After a few minutes, the strips begin to roll up on their own. The dried strips are then hand-folded by farmers into multilayered quills that are left for another 3 to 4 days to dry naturally. The challenging work of processing Ceylon cinnamon is performed by experienced farmers, who have cultivated their skills over many decades.

Only the highest-quality sections of the inner bark are rolled into quills of Ceylon cinnamon. The edges, as well as smaller and lower-quality pieces, are ground into a powder, or they’re sold as pieces of cinnamon bark. The Sri Lankans are duly proud of the quality of Ceylon cinnamon and its intertwined traditions. They are currently trying to receive a Protected Geographical Indication in the EU. The Pure Ceylon Cinnamon logo can already be found on the packaging, indicating that the product actually comes from Sri Lanka and that it lives up to the expectations.