In short: Glenloch is a tea estate in Sri Lanka's Central Province, situated at 866 metres above sea level, and is recorded as supplying Finlays.
Glenloch is a tea estate located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 866 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major tea processor and distributor with a significant presence in Sri Lankan tea sourcing.
Terroir & Climate
At 866 metres, Glenloch sits in the mid-elevation band of Sri Lanka's tea landscape, where estates typically experience a climate that balances warmth and moisture without the cooler extremes of higher-altitude districts. This elevation generally supports year-round growth with two primary quality seasons—one following the southwest monsoon and another after the northeast—though the intensity and timing of these seasons can vary across the Central Province depending on aspect and local topography.
Mid-grown Ceylon teas from this altitude range tend to develop moderate body and a briskness that falls between the lighter, more delicate high-growns and the fuller, more robust character of low-elevation leaf. The Central Province's soils and microclimates contribute to a diversity of cup profiles even within similar elevation bands, and estates at this altitude often yield teas with good colour and consistent processing characteristics suited to both orthodox and CTC manufacture.
Tea Produced
Glenloch produces black tea, and estates at this mid-elevation in the Central Province typically yield a cup with moderate body, reasonable briskness, and a clean, straightforward character. Mid-grown Ceylon blacks from this altitude range are often valued for their balance—neither as delicate as high-altitude teas nor as heavy as low-grown leaf—and tend to feature good colour and a liquor suitable for blending as well as for single-estate offerings. The specific cup profile will depend on manufacturing method, plucking standard, and seasonal variation, but the elevation generally supports a tea with accessible, versatile drinking qualities.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Glenloch is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with extensive operations in Sri Lanka encompassing estate cultivation, processing, blending, and global distribution. Finlays sources from numerous estates across the island to supply major international tea brands and food-service clients, and inclusion in its supply base indicates that Glenloch's output meets the quality and volume expectations of a commercial buyer with reach into retail and institutional markets worldwide. This relationship suggests the estate's production is oriented toward consistent, scalable supply rather than the niche, high-value segment typical of some single-estate or specialty-marketed Ceylon teas.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Glenloch lies at 7.0565, 80.6938 in Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its 866 m elevation is the 66th highest of 94 estates we map in Central Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Agalawatte Plantations, Frotoft — 1.6 km away
- Agalawatte Plantations, Labookellie — 4.6 km away
- Elpitiya Plantations, Dunsinane — 5.7 km away
- Elpitiya Plantations, Kaipoogalla — 5.9 km away
- Elpitiya Plantations, Sheen — 6.1 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Glenloch
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Glenloch (866 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Glenloch recorded 2,525 mm in 2025, within 5% of the 2,529 mm average across these estates, so altitude explains most of its rainfall.
| Estate | Where | Elevation | Rain 2025 | Mean high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sepoydhoorah | West Bengal, India | 866 m | 2,805 mm | 23.4 °C |
| Arrapetta Tea Estate | Meppadi, India | 867 m | 2,919 mm | 26.0 °C |
| Fengxiangyuan Tea Industry Co., Ltd. | Guizhou Province, China | 868 m | 1,589 mm | 20.4 °C |
| Demodera Estate | Demodera - Spring Valley - Badulla Rd, Sri Lanka | 864 m | 2,624 mm | 26.7 °C |
| Balangoda Plantations, Telebedde | Uva Province, Sri Lanka | 868 m | 2,709 mm | 26.2 °C |
Glenloch Compared with Central Province
In Central Province, Glenloch is drier than 83% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 70% of the others by elevation; warmer than 70% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Glenloch 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 | Glenloch | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 866 m | 1,203 m | 37 to 1,924 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,525 mm | 3,152 mm | 2,071 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 25.7 °C | 23.1 °C | 19.1 to 30.1 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 18.6 °C | 16.4 °C | 12.4 to 22.2 °C |
Observed Climate at Glenloch (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Glenloch’s coordinates recorded 2,525 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (841 mm) and the driest was February (8 mm). Daytime highs averaged 25.7 °C and overnight lows 18.6 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and February the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,525 mm |
| Wettest month | November (841 mm) |
| Driest month | February (8 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 25.7 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 18.6 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Glenloch located?
Glenloch is in Central Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 7.0565, 80.6938, at an elevation of about 866 metres.
What type of tea does Glenloch produce?
Glenloch is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Glenloch supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Glenloch as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Glenloch receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,525 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (841 mm).
How does Glenloch compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Estates at a similar elevation recorded about 2,529 mm of rain in 2025, close to the 2,525 mm at Glenloch.
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].