In short: Cee Tee Hills is a black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province at 347 metres elevation, recorded as a supplier to Finlays.
Cee Tee Hills is a tea estate located in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, cultivating black tea at an elevation of 347 metres above sea level. The estate operates within the low-grown category of Ceylon tea production, positioned near the southern coastal belt where Sri Lanka's tea industry extends beyond the more widely known central highlands. The operator of the estate is not publicly recorded, though Finlays is documented as a buyer of Cee Tee Hills production.
Terroir & Climate
At 347 metres elevation, Cee Tee Hills occupies terrain typical of Sri Lanka's low-grown tea districts, where warmer temperatures and higher humidity tend to accelerate the growing cycle. Estates at this altitude generally experience a faster flush compared to mid- and high-grown gardens, often yielding leaf throughout much of the year with relatively little seasonal dormancy. The Southern Province's proximity to the coast typically brings consistent moisture, though the interplay of monsoon systems can create distinct wet and dry periods that influence plucking schedules.
Low-grown Ceylon teas are generally characterised by a more vigorous oxidation environment, driven by the warmer ambient conditions at these elevations. The latitude of approximately 6.3° North places Cee Tee Hills well within the tropical belt, where day length remains relatively stable year-round and solar intensity is high. These factors tend to produce robust leaf with strong enzymatic activity during processing, a profile that estates in the southern low-grown belt have long supplied to the global blending trade.
Tea Produced
Black teas from low-grown estates in Sri Lanka's Southern Province typically offer a bold, full-bodied cup with pronounced strength and colour. Cee Tee Hills produces black tea, and leaf from this elevation and latitude generally tends toward darker infusions with good astringency and a straightforward, malty character. These teas often lack the floral or bright citrus notes associated with higher elevations, instead delivering the body and briskness that make low-grown Ceylon a staple in breakfast blends and mass-market packets. The profile is usually dependable rather than nuanced, suited to milk and everyday consumption.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Cee Tee Hills is recorded as supplying Finlays, the vertically integrated tea and beverage business with sourcing, blending, and packing operations spanning multiple continents. Finlays draws on estates across Sri Lanka's elevation spectrum to feed its blending facilities and supply major retail and foodservice brands. The presence of Cee Tee Hills in Finlays' supply base suggests the estate's output meets the quality and consistency standards required for international blending programmes, where low-grown Ceylon typically contributes strength, colour, and value to high-volume packets.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Cee Tee Hills lies at 6.3065, 80.6306 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 347 m elevation is the joint 12th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Berubeula — under 1 km away
- Urubokka — under 1 km away
- Rasa — 1.5 km away
- Andaradeniya Estate, Galaxy — 1.5 km away
- Green Lanka — 2.3 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Cee Tee Hills
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Cee Tee Hills (347 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Cee Tee Hills recorded 2,210 mm in 2025, 14% less than the 2,584 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packing Plant Italia | Misiones, Argentina | 349 m | 1,816 mm | 26.0 °C |
| Hinz | AV.SARMIENTO 986 PISO 1 LOC. 9 ()OBERA MISIONE, Argentina | 339 m | 1,816 mm | 26.0 °C |
| Nurbong | West Bengal, India | 357 m | 2,666 mm | 27.2 °C |
| Danau Kembar | West Sumatra, Indonesia | 358 m | 3,083 mm | 30.3 °C |
| Kegalle Plantations, Yataderiya | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 333 m | 3,540 mm | 29.2 °C |
Cee Tee Hills Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Cee Tee Hills is the driest of the 134 estates by 2025 rainfall; higher than 91% of the others by elevation; cooler than 90% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Cee Tee Hills against the 133 other estates we map in Southern Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Cee Tee Hills | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 347 m | 46 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,210 mm | 3,022 mm | 2,210 to 3,589 mm |
| Mean daily high | 28.8 °C | 29.8 °C | 25.9 to 30.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.0 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Cee Tee Hills (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Cee Tee Hills’s coordinates recorded 2,210 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (502 mm) and the driest was August (67 mm). Daytime highs averaged 28.8 °C and overnight lows 22.0 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,210 mm |
| Wettest month | November (502 mm) |
| Driest month | August (67 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 28.8 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.0 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cee Tee Hills located?
Cee Tee Hills is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.3065, 80.6306, at an elevation of about 347 metres.
What type of tea does Cee Tee Hills produce?
Cee Tee Hills is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Cee Tee Hills supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Cee Tee Hills as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Cee Tee Hills receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,210 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (502 mm).
How does Cee Tee Hills compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Cee Tee Hills recorded 2,210 mm in 2025, 14% less rain than the 2,584 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].