In short: Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella is a black tea estate at 1,175 metres in Sri Lanka's Uva Province, operated by Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella and known to supply Finlays.
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella is a black tea estate located at 1,175 metres above sea level in Sri Lanka's Uva Province. The estate is operated by Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, a major name in the international tea trade.
Terroir & Climate
At 1,175 metres, the estate occupies a mid-elevation site within Uva Province, a region whose terroir is shaped by the interplay of monsoon winds and altitude. Estates at this elevation in Sri Lanka typically experience moderate temperatures and good diurnal variation, conditions that tend to slow leaf maturation and encourage the development of flavour complexity. Uva's geography often exposes plantations to dry, desiccating winds during the mid-year season, a phenomenon that can stress the plant and concentrate the biochemical constituents of the leaf.
The latitude—just below 7° north—places the estate in the humid tropical zone, where rainfall is generally abundant but seasonal in distribution. This pattern tends to create distinct quality windows during the year when moisture stress and cooler nights combine to favour the production of character-rich leaf. The interplay of elevation, wind exposure and seasonal moisture fluctuation is central to the profile that Uva teas often exhibit, though individual estate outcomes will vary with microclimate, management and processing choices.
Tea Produced
The estate produces black tea, the overwhelmingly dominant category from Sri Lanka's mid-elevation zones. Teas from Uva Province at this altitude typically yield a cup with brightness, body and a certain aromatic intensity; estates in the region are often noted for a menthol-like or eucalyptus character, particularly during the dry season when environmental stress is greatest. The specifics of leaf handling and oxidation will modulate these tendencies, but buyers familiar with Uva generally expect a tea with structure, astringency and a distinctive high-grown clarity, even at mid elevations where body remains substantial.
Supply Chain & Market Position
The estate's supply relationship with Finlays positions it within a significant global network. Finlays is a vertically integrated tea business with operations spanning production, blending, and distribution, and it supplies many of the world's leading tea brands. This connection suggests that leaf from Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella is likely destined for blending programmes that serve retail and foodservice markets in Europe, North America and beyond, rather than for single-estate or specialty retail. Such supply arrangements typically require consistent volume and quality adherence to buyer specifications.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella lies at 6.9608, 81.0108 in Uva Province, Sri Lanka. Its 1175 m elevation is the 13th highest of 28 estates we map in Uva Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Neluwa — 6.0 km away
- Rathkelle Tea Estate — 6.1 km away · Hingurugama Complex
- Balangoda Plantations, Glen Alpin Group — 6.1 km away
- Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie — 6.7 km away
- Malwatte Valley Plantations, Uva Highlands — 6.9 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella (1,175 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella recorded 2,320 mm in 2025, 25% less than the 3,076 mm average across these estates: at the same height, local weather and exposure matter as much as elevation.
| Estate | Where | Elevation | Rain 2025 | Mean high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maskeliya Plantations, Glentilt Estate, Glentilt | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 1,176 m | 4,839 mm | 22.6 °C |
| MUGOMA | Kampala, Uganda | 1,174 m | 1,208 mm | 26.8 °C |
| Phuguri Tea Estate | Saurinibasti, India | 1,169 m | 2,778 mm | 21.5 °C |
| Shangba Tea Farm | Zunyi City, China | 1,189 m | 1,714 mm | 18.2 °C |
| Maskeliya Plantations, Laxapana | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 1,191 m | 4,839 mm | 22.6 °C |
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella Compared with Uva Province
In Uva Province, Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella is wetter than 59% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 56% of the others by elevation; cooler than 59% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella against the 27 other estates we map in Uva Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,175 m | 1,131 m | 560 to 1,535 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,320 mm | 2,319 mm | 2,188 to 2,899 mm |
| Mean daily high | 24.8 °C | 25.2 °C | 22.4 to 28.7 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 16.6 °C | 16.4 °C | 14.5 to 20.0 °C |
Observed Climate at Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella’s coordinates recorded 2,320 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (644 mm) and the driest was August (44 mm). Daytime highs averaged 24.8 °C and overnight lows 16.6 °C over the year; September was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,320 mm |
| Wettest month | November (644 mm) |
| Driest month | August (44 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 24.8 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 16.6 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella located?
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella is in Uva Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.9608, 81.0108, at an elevation of about 1175 metres.
Who operates Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella?
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella is operated by Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella produce?
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,320 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (644 mm).
How does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella recorded 2,320 mm in 2025, 25% less rain than the 3,076 mm average of estates at a similar elevation.
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].
