Ceylon cinnamon grades, explained.
Ceylon cinnamon is graded by the fineness of its quills — from pencil-thin Alba to robust C4 and freshly milled powder. Every grade below is peeled, rolled, and sorted by hand on our Hikkaduwa estate.
How Ceylon cinnamon is graded
Quills are graded by diameter and appearance, not by purity: every grade is the same Ceylon cinnamon, rolled finer or fuller. The finer the quill, the paler, smoother and more delicate it tends to be. Powder and tea are prepared forms rather than quill grades.
| Grade | Quill thickness | Appearance | Flavour profile | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alba | ≤ 6 mm — the finest cut | Pale gold, tightly rolled, near-seamless layers | Delicate and floral, with honeyed citrus | Fine desserts, specialty tea, gifting |
| C5 Special | 6–10 mm | Uniform amber quills, layered inner bark | Sweet and rounded, softly aromatic | Specialty retail, café blends, baking |
| C4 | 10–16 mm | Fuller amber-brown quills, hearty roll | Warm and full-bodied, gently spiced | Everyday cooking, wholesale, food production |
The connoisseur's quill.
Alba
The rarest cut of Ceylon cinnamon: quills no thicker than a pencil, rolled from the smoothest inner bark. Alba is what specialty buyers mean when they ask for the very best.
- Quill thickness
- ≤ 6 mm — the finest cut
- Appearance
- Pale gold, tightly rolled, near-seamless layers
- Flavour profile
- Delicate and floral, with honeyed citrus
- Best for
- Fine desserts, specialty tea, gifting
The specialty-shelf standard.
C5 Special
Slender, even quills with the classic layered roll. C5 Special balances elegance and yield, which is why specialty retailers and café roasters build their ranges around it.
- Quill thickness
- 6–10 mm
- Appearance
- Uniform amber quills, layered inner bark
- Flavour profile
- Sweet and rounded, softly aromatic
- Best for
- Specialty retail, café blends, baking
The working kitchen's choice.
C4
A fuller-bodied quill with the same true-cinnamon character. C4 stands up to long simmering and high-volume use without losing its gentle sweetness.
- Quill thickness
- 10–16 mm
- Appearance
- Fuller amber-brown quills, hearty roll
- Flavour profile
- Warm and full-bodied, gently spiced
- Best for
- Everyday cooking, wholesale, food production
Milled fresh, never blended.
Ceylon cinnamon powder
Ground to order from selected quills — never from sweepings or cassia blends. The result is a bright, fragrant powder that bakes and stirs true.
- Quill thickness
- Freshly milled, fine mesh
- Appearance
- Fine light-tan powder, nothing added
- Flavour profile
- Bright and sweet, instantly aromatic
- Best for
- Baking, smoothies, spice blends
The estate, in a cup.
Ceylon cinnamon tea
Roasted bark curls and cuttings prepared for steeping — a naturally caffeine-free infusion with all the warmth of true cinnamon and none of the harshness of cassia.
- Quill thickness
- Cut quills & bark curls
- Appearance
- Roasted curls, ready to steep
- Flavour profile
- Soothing, naturally sweet infusion
- Best for
- Tea service, wellness rituals