What Makes Alba Cinnamon the Worlds Finest

Most people think they’ve tasted cinnamon. But most people are wrong.
What sits on grocery store shelves. strong, spicy, almost bitter isn’t cinnamon at all. It’s Cassia, a close relative that dominates global spice trade because it’s cheaper, hardier, and mass-produced.
But there’s another kind of cinnamon. The kind that’s been revered in ancient medicine, traded like treasure along the Silk Road, and used by chefs who understand subtlety over spice.
It’s called Alba and it’s not just cinnamon. It’s the world’s finest version of it.

So What Is Alba Cinnamon?

Alba is the highest grade of Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), harvested only in Sri Lanka. While all true cinnamon comes from this region, Alba sits at the top of the quality scale a designation given to only the thinnest, softest inner bark, hand-peeled with exacting care.
It’s light in colour, almost like parchment. When rolled, it becomes soft quills delicate to the touch, and aromatic in a way that surprises even the most seasoned spice lovers.
Its flavour is floral, sweet, and gently warm never harsh or biting. You don’t taste Alba cinnamon and flinch. You taste it and lean in.

The Problem with Cassia (And Why You Should Care)

Cassia, the cinnamon substitute found in most pantries, is darker, thicker, and loaded with a compound called coumarin a natural substance linked to liver toxicity in high doses. According to research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, Cassia can contain over 60 times more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon (Abraham et al., 2010).

Alba, on the other hand, contains almost none.
That means if you’re adding cinnamon to your coffee, oats, or smoothies every morning Alba isn’t just the more refined choice. It’s the safer one, especially for daily use.
And in terms of flavour? There’s simply no comparison. Alba is subtle and elegant the kind of spice that adds dimension, not just heat.

From Forest to Flavour — A Story Rooted in Craft

What makes Alba cinnamon extraordinary isn’t just the tree. It’s the people.
In the southern belt of Sri Lanka, Alba is still hand-harvested, hand-peeled, and hand-rolled by women who’ve inherited the knowledge of cinnamon quilling from their mothers and grandmothers.
It’s slow, careful work. The outer bark is scraped away. The inner layer is lifted in long, tender strips. These strips are curled into the familiar scrolls we know but if you’ve ever seen Alba in person, you’ll know, this is not supermarket spice. This is culinary craftsmanship.
And that matters because how something is made shapes how it makes you feel.

The Chef’s Secret and the Wellness Ritual

Alba cinnamon has become something of a quiet secret in both kitchens and wellness communities.
Top chefs use it to bring unexpected sweetness to savoury dishes. Mixologists use it for its gentle perfume in cocktails. Bakers prize it for how seamlessly it blends into dough, batters, and custards.
And wellness seekers the ones who know the power of food as medicine turn to Alba for its anti-inflammatory, blood sugar-balancing, and antioxidant benefits. Studies published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine have suggested Ceylon cinnamon may support glucose regulation and metabolic health (Mang et al, 2006; Ranasinghe et al, 2013).
If you’re stirring something into your matcha, your chai, or your kefir, let it be Alba.

Why It’s Rare — and Worth It

You won’t find Alba cinnamon in most stores.
It makes up a tiny fraction of Sri Lanka’s cinnamon exports. Its production is labour-intensive, season-dependent, and governed by quality grading that only the finest quills pass. It’s not just rare because of marketing it’s rare because of how little of it exists.
When you open a jar of Flavahs Alba cinnamon, you’re not just getting spice. You’re getting something wild, beautiful, and soulfully made by hand, by women, in one of the most cinnamon-rich regions of the world.

The Flavour You Didn’t Know You Were Missing

If you’ve ever drizzled olive oil from a single estate or chosen chocolate with a percentage on the label you already understand the impulse behind Alba cinnamon.
It’s not just about taste. It’s about traceability, ritual, and a return to the real.
Alba cinnamon is the spice you didn’t know you were missing. The one that doesn’t shout but lingers. The one that makes you realise: you’ve been settling for less.

Want to Taste the Difference?

At Flavahs, we bring pure Alba cinnamon in quills, flakes, and powder directly from Sri Lanka to your kitchen. Sustainably harvested. Women-crafted. Never blended or bulked.
Because spice isn’t just an ingredient. It’s a story.
And we believe it should be told well.

Sources

• Abraham, K. et al. (2010). “Toxicology and Risk Assessment of Coumarin: Focus on Human Data.” Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
• Mang, B. et al. (2006). “Effects of a cinnamon extract on plasma glucose, HbA1c, and serum lipids in diabetes mellitus type 2.” European Journal of Clinical Investigation.
• Ranasinghe, P. et al. (2013). “Medicinal properties of ‘true’ cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): a systematic review.” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.