Ceylon- AMBA Estate - Vangedi Pekoe Thieves' Breakfast Tea

A good cup of tea can stir the imagination as much as it revives the body, and at Cha Dodo, we believe AMBA Estate's Vangedi Pekoe – Thieves Breakfast Tea is a brew steeped in both flavour and history. We are proud to introduce this tea in response to the popular demand for a good, strong breakfast brew.

Grown and crafted in Sri Lanka's Uva Highlands, this black tea is made using a time-honoured method where the leaves are hand-pounded in a stone mortar called a vangedi – a practice once used by estate workers who took tea leaves without permission to prepare their own tea at home in secrecy. The spirit of this ingenuity lives on in every brew.

Thieves' Breakfast Tea brews into a rich, dark amber liquor with a fierce character and plenty of depth. It's malty and full-bodied, with notes of brown sugar, toffee and cocoa, and just a touch of citrus peel to keep things lively. The texture is thick and comforting, but the finish is clean – the kind of tea that satisfies without ever feeling heavy.

This iteration of AMBA's Vangedi Pekoe has been produced specifically to be a strong breakfast brew and pairs well with milk and sugar, although it is also delicious on its own without any additions.

Whether you're after something strong to start the day or a moment of calm in the afternoon, this tea delivers. It's a nod to tradition, to resilience, and to the small joys of a well-made cup – a breakfast tea, but not as you know it, and one we are sure will steal your hearts.

Infusion Recommendations:
This tea can be infused at least three times, with each infusion revealing more of its character. Use freshly boiled water at 95–98°C and steep for 3 minutes, adding a little more time with each round.

Also excellent cold brewed overnight – just place 8–12g of tea in a 1 litre jug of water and leave it in the fridge for around 15 hours. Adjust quantity and time to taste.