In short: Cooroondoowatte is a black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Central Province at 794 metres altitude, recorded as supplying Finlays.
Cooroondoowatte is a tea estate located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, at an altitude of 794 metres. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the world's largest tea trading and blending companies. The identity of the current operating company is not documented in publicly available trade records.
Terroir & Climate
At 794 metres above sea level, Cooroondoowatte falls within the mid-grown category of Sri Lankan tea estates, occupying the zone between the low-country heat and the cooler, slower-growing high country. Estates at this elevation in the Central Province typically experience moderate temperatures and diurnal variation that can support year-round plucking, though the intensity and character of the leaf tend to vary with the monsoon cycles that shape Ceylon tea production.
The Central Province benefits from its position in the island's interior, where moisture-laden winds from both the southwest and northeast monsoons create distinct quality windows during the year. Mid-grown estates such as this generally produce leaf with moderate body and briskness, lacking the delicate refinement of high-grown teas but offering more structure and colour than low-country produce. The latitude, just north of seven degrees, ensures consistent warmth and photoperiod throughout the year.
Tea Produced
Cooroondoowatte produces black tea, the dominant style across Sri Lanka's Central Province. Mid-grown Ceylon blacks from estates at this altitude typically yield a cup with good colour and body, moderate astringency, and a balance between the brightness characteristic of higher elevations and the strength of low-country leaf. The teas are generally well-suited to blending, offering reliable structure and a clean, brisk profile that can anchor breakfast-style blends or add depth to afternoon caddies, though specific cup character will vary with the season and processing methods employed.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Cooroondoowatte is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major international tea business with operations spanning cultivation, trading, blending, and packing. Finlays sources tea from estates across the world's major origins and supplies branded manufacturers, retailers, and foodservice clients in more than 100 countries. The estate's presence in Finlays' supply chain suggests its production meets the quality and traceability standards required by global buyers, and that its output is likely destined for blended products distributed through established retail and commercial channels rather than sold as a single-origin offering.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Cooroondoowatte lies at 7.1250, 80.5293 in Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its 794 m elevation is the 68th highest of 94 estates we map in Central Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Galpaya — 1.8 km away
- New Weliganga — 4.3 km away
- Pallegama — 4.4 km away
- Kahawatte Plantations, Craighead — 4.8 km away
- Lantern Hill Lotus Valley — 6.2 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Cooroondoowatte
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Cooroondoowatte (794 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Cooroondoowatte recorded 2,750 mm in 2025, within 5% of the 2,777 mm average across these estates, so altitude explains most of its rainfall.
| Estate | Where | Elevation | Rain 2025 | Mean high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shin-Yu-Min Co., Ltd. | Yuchi Township, Taiwan | 793 m | 3,160 mm | 24.1 °C |
| Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 797 m | 3,088 mm | 25.7 °C |
| Moongalaar Tea Estate | Periyar, India | 804 m | 2,600 mm | 25.8 °C |
| Choke Chamroen Tea Co Ltd | Chiang Rai, Thailand | 806 m | 1,748 mm | 26.0 °C |
| Hatale | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 778 m | 3,291 mm | 26.2 °C |
Cooroondoowatte Compared with Central Province
In Central Province, Cooroondoowatte is drier than 76% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 72% of the others by elevation; warmer than 72% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Cooroondoowatte against the 93 other estates we map in Central Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Cooroondoowatte | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 794 m | 1,203 m | 37 to 1,924 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,750 mm | 3,152 mm | 2,071 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 26.1 °C | 23.1 °C | 19.1 to 30.1 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 18.4 °C | 16.4 °C | 12.4 to 22.2 °C |
Observed Climate at Cooroondoowatte (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Cooroondoowatte’s coordinates recorded 2,750 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (859 mm) and the driest was February (9 mm). Daytime highs averaged 26.1 °C and overnight lows 18.4 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and February the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,750 mm |
| Wettest month | November (859 mm) |
| Driest month | February (9 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 26.1 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 18.4 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cooroondoowatte located?
Cooroondoowatte is in Central Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 7.1250, 80.5293, at an elevation of about 794 metres.
What type of tea does Cooroondoowatte produce?
Cooroondoowatte is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Cooroondoowatte supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Cooroondoowatte as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Cooroondoowatte receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,750 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (859 mm).
How does Cooroondoowatte compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Estates at a similar elevation recorded about 2,777 mm of rain in 2025, close to the 2,750 mm at Cooroondoowatte.
Data sources: public supply-chain disclosures (Ethical Tea Partnership member lists, Rainforest Alliance certificate holders and retailer supplier disclosures); climate figures are ERA5 reanalysis modelled for the estate’s coordinates via Open-Meteo (calendar year 2025); coordinates and elevations from geocoded records. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].