By The Auburn · Melbourne

Cinnamon 101

Real cinnamon, real facts.

Short videos on true Ceylon cinnamon: what it is, how to spot it, and how it travels from a family plantation in southern Sri Lanka to your cup.

Meet Ashley, your Cinnamon 101 presenter.

Episode 1

Is your cinnamon even cinnamon?

Most supermarket “cinnamon” is actually cassia. True cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum.

Feature Ceylon Cassia
Flavour Sweeter, finer and more delicate Generally stronger and harsher
Quill Many thin layers rolled together Typically one thick curl of bark
Colour Light, golden tan Darker reddish-brown

Check the label. Look for Ceylon cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum.

Ep 1 · Is your cinnamon even cinnamon?

A six-part series

From the estate

The Auburn’s Ceylon cinnamon comes from a 101-year-old family plantation in southern Sri Lanka, now in its fourth generation. Follow it from tree to quill.

  1. Part 1

    Where it starts

    A 101-year-old family plantation in southern Sri Lanka, now in its fourth generation.

  2. Part 2

    Harvest day

    Cinnamon trees are cut and bundled by hand.

  3. Part 3

    Hand-peeled

    The outer bark is scraped away, then the inner bark is peeled by hand in long strips.

  4. Part 4

    Sun-dried and hand-rolled

    Dried in the sun until it curls, then layered and rolled into quills by hand.

  5. Part 5

    Bundled and on its way

    Quills are bundled and tied by hand, then airfreighted to Melbourne.

  6. Part 6

    From the estate to your cup

    Hand-packed in Melbourne, ready for your kitchen.

The Auburn range

From the estate to your cup

Ceylon cinnamon from the family estate, hand-packed in Melbourne.

Brews

  • Alba Brew100% Alba-grade Ceylon cinnamon. Caffeine-free.
  • Oxi BrewAlba-grade Ceylon cinnamon with Ceylon tea and white cloves.
  • Golden BrewAlba-grade Ceylon cinnamon with Ceylon tea.
  • Ayu BrewAlba-grade Ceylon cinnamon with black seeds, cumin and coriander. Caffeine-free.

Pantry

  • Cinnamon honey
  • Cinnamon powder
  • Cinnamon sugar
  • Hand-rolled Alba quills