What is 'Cinnamon Quill'

Cinnamon quill (or day-to day use 'cinnamon sticks) is the traditional way of presenting cinnamon, processed bark arranged in a cigar like formation. Well-cured smooth inner bark makes thinner quills. The quality of the cinnamon  is measured by the diameter of the cinnamon quill.

The highest quality is 'Alba', with very slender (diameter approximately 6mm) and brittle quills. These are used for specialised applications and in the perfume industry.

The next best grade is 'Continental', with several sub-categories named 'C5 special', 'C5', 'C4' etc, depending on their quill diameter, which may go up to 16 mm. C5 special, with quill diameter of approximately 10 mm, is the best grade of cinnamon quills that used for culinary applications.

The other grades of cinnamon quills are Mexican (with sub categories M5, M4 with quill diameter 18 - 21 mm) of which surface of the quills are coarse and are with reddish brown patches on the bark, and Hamburg (with subcategories H1, H2 & H3 with quill diameter 23 - 38 mm) comprising thicker, rough cinnamon  bark.