In short: Lions is a black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, situated at 421 metres elevation and recorded as supplying Finlays.
Lions is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 421 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and its operator is not currently recorded in public supply chain databases. Lions is documented as a supplier to Finlays, one of the world's leading tea and coffee companies.
Terroir & Climate
At 421 metres, Lions occupies a low-elevation site within Sri Lanka's diverse tea-growing landscape. Estates at this altitude typically experience warmer temperatures and higher humidity than their high-grown counterparts, conditions that tend to promote vigorous vegetative growth and a faster plucking cycle. The Southern Province's proximity to the equator and exposure to both southwest and northeast monsoons generally deliver ample rainfall, though the specific microclimate can vary considerably depending on topography and distance from the coast.
Low-grown Ceylon teas are often characterised by terrain that allows for year-round production with less pronounced seasonal dormancy. The warmer growing conditions at this elevation tend to favour robust leaf development and a faster oxidation process during manufacture, factors that generally influence the strength and body of the finished black tea.
Tea Produced
Lions produces black tea, the dominant category for low-grown Ceylon production. Teas from estates at this elevation in the Southern Province typically yield a full-bodied, malty cup with good colour and strength. The warmer growing conditions tend to produce leaf that generates darker liquors and a more robust, straightforward flavour profile compared to the lighter, more nuanced character often associated with high-grown Ceylon teas. Such teas are generally well-suited to blending and to markets where strength and reliable colour are valued.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Lions is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with estates, blending facilities, and a global customer base spanning retail brands and foodservice. This supply relationship places Lions within the chain that serves major international tea brands, though the specific end-users of its production are not publicly documented. Finlays' position as both estate operator and buyer in Sri Lanka suggests that Lions' output is likely destined for blending operations that supply branded tea companies in Europe, North America, and other key consumer markets.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Lions lies at 6.3416, 80.6466 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 421 m elevation is the 3rd highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Green Lanka — 2.8 km away
- Arbour Valley — 3.2 km away
- Rasa — 3.2 km away
- Urubokka — 3.8 km away
- Berubeula — 4.3 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Lions
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Lions (421 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Lions recorded 2,378 mm in 2025, 7% more than the 2,220 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kotada Tea Estate | Kotagiri, India | 415 m | 1,143 mm | 30.9 °C |
| THE UNITED NILGIRI TEA ESTATES CO LTD | TAMIL NADU, India | 415 m | 1,143 mm | 30.9 °C |
| KDU, Kuttapitiya | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 434 m | 3,432 mm | 27.6 °C |
| Thai Tea Suwirun Co., Ltd. | Chiangrai, Thailand | 404 m | 2,054 mm | 29.3 °C |
| Mount Eliza | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 439 m | 3,329 mm | 28.2 °C |
Lions Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Lions is drier than 89% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 98% of the others by elevation; cooler than 94% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Lions 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 | Lions | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 421 m | 46 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,378 mm | 3,022 mm | 2,210 to 3,589 mm |
| Mean daily high | 28.1 °C | 29.8 °C | 25.9 to 30.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 21.6 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Lions (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Lions’s coordinates recorded 2,378 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (503 mm) and the driest was February (58 mm). Daytime highs averaged 28.1 °C and overnight lows 21.6 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,378 mm |
| Wettest month | November (503 mm) |
| Driest month | February (58 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 28.1 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 21.6 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lions located?
Lions is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.3416, 80.6466, at an elevation of about 421 metres.
What type of tea does Lions produce?
Lions is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Lions supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Lions as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Lions receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,378 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (503 mm).
How does Lions compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Lions recorded 2,378 mm in 2025, 7% more rain than the 2,220 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].