Imbulgahagoda

Imbulgahagoda is a tea estate located in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, positioned at approximately 27 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major name in the global tea supply chain. The operating company is not publicly documented in available trade records.

Terroir & Climate

At 27 metres elevation, Imbulgahagoda occupies the low country tea zone of Sri Lanka, where climatic conditions differ markedly from the island's celebrated highland estates. Low-elevation sites in the Southern Province typically experience warmer temperatures and higher humidity year-round, conditions that generally promote rapid vegetative growth and faster fermentation during black tea manufacture. Rainfall patterns in this coastal belt tend to be influenced by both monsoons, though the precise interplay of southwest and northeast weather systems varies by microclimate.

Estates at this elevation often contend with more vigorous flush cycles, and leaf from low-grown gardens typically matures quickly under warm conditions. The terroir does not produce the slow-grown, high-altitude complexity associated with Nuwara Eliya or Dimbula, but low country Ceylon teas have long occupied an important segment of the commodity and blending market, valued for consistency, colour, and brisk character rather than for nuance.

Tea Produced

Imbulgahagoda produces black tea. Low-elevation Ceylon estates in the Southern Province generally yield teas with good colour, body, and strength—qualities that make them well suited to blending and to markets where robust, malty, and brisk profiles are preferred over floral or delicate high-grown notes. Teas from this altitude band tend to deliver a straightforward cup with limited astringency and a darker liquor, characteristics shaped by the warmer growing environment and faster oxidation during processing.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Imbulgahagoda is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the world's largest tea and beverage businesses, which sources, blends, and distributes tea to major retail and foodservice customers globally. This relationship indicates that the estate's output is likely channelled into commercial blending streams and private-label supply chains rather than single-estate or premium retail channels. Finlays' procurement footprint is extensive across Sri Lanka's low and mid-elevation zones, and estates supplying the company typically prioritise volume, consistency, and competitive pricing over boutique positioning.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Imbulgahagoda lies at 6.1409, 80.2581 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 27 m elevation is the 90th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Ivy Valley — 1.4 km away
• Nehinigala — 1.7 km away
• Hill Side, Hillside Group — 2.4 km away
• Davidson — 2.9 km away
• Ruwanthanne — 3.3 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Imbulgahagoda

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Imbulgahagoda (27 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Imbulgahagoda recorded 3,323 mm in 2025, 9% more than the 3,054 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
Satgaon tea Factory	Moulvibazar, Bangladesh	27 m	2,201 mm	30.2 °C
HQ Sipef, Cibuni Factory	North Sumatra, Indonesia	27 m	4,307 mm	30.6 °C
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	27 m	4,458 mm	30.2 °C
Hangzhou Kainong Factory	Zhejiang, China	26 m	1,280 mm	24.8 °C
BHUBRIGHAT TEA ESTATE	ASSAM, India	26 m	3,022 mm	30.0 °C

Imbulgahagoda Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Imbulgahagoda is wetter than 73% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 67% of the others by elevation; cooler than 68% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Imbulgahagoda 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	Imbulgahagoda	Region median	Region range
Elevation	27 m	49 m	6 to 806 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,323 mm	3,022 mm	2,210 to 3,589 mm
Mean daily high	29.6 °C	29.8 °C	25.9 to 30.5 °C
Mean overnight low	22.9 °C	22.6 °C	18.2 to 24.1 °C

Observed Climate at Imbulgahagoda (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Imbulgahagoda’s coordinates recorded 3,323 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (481 mm) and the driest was February (83 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.6 °C and overnight lows 22.9 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,323 mm
Wettest month	November (481 mm)
Driest month	February (83 mm)
Mean daily high	29.6 °C
Mean overnight low	22.9 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Imbulgahagoda located?

Imbulgahagoda is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.1409, 80.2581, at an elevation of about 27 metres.

What type of tea does Imbulgahagoda produce?

Imbulgahagoda is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Imbulgahagoda supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Imbulgahagoda as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Imbulgahagoda receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,323 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (481 mm).

How does Imbulgahagoda compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Imbulgahagoda recorded 3,323 mm in 2025, 9% more rain than the 3,054 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].