Forget about saccharine concoctions - the best iced tea lets the natural flavour of the tea speak up and sweetens to complement rather than overpower the flavour. Ditch the big-brand bottles and make your own superior blend using our classic iced tea recipe.

Take a good moderate strength loose-leaf tea such as our Ceylon Dimbula. Ceylon sits halfway between hearty Assam and aromatic Darjeeling in terms of strength. It's a favourite 'afternoon tea' choice, and is a fine choice for an iced tea base. A well rounded flavour is supplied by the large, orange pekoe leaves - so called because of the orange-y colour of the broken tea tips, not the presence of an orange flavour.

Brew a large pot of tea (eg. 800ml) for 5 minutes. It's worth brewing the tea for longer than you might normally: although the flavour will be strong, it will then be diluted and sweetened to soften the flavour, so a strong base allows all flavours to sit together. Then add the freshly squeezed juice of one lemon. The lemon provides a natural sweetness - more juice means less sugar and a more natural flavour. An added benefit is the fantastic golden colour that the mingling of tea and lemon juice creates. You can also use freshly squeezed orange as well or instead of lemon.

Then add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to the tea (while still warm) and stir to dissolve. Then simply leave the tea to cool. For bonus points add the lemon peel and leave for several hours for a zesty twist.

Serve in a tall glass of ice cubes.

It's difficult to go wrong with this recipe. If in doubt it's better to add less juice and sugar to start with, as you can always add more later.

You can also try variations on the theme, with fresh mint leaves, peach or passionfruit juice, and try green tea or mate instead of black tea.