In short: Nilgiri is a black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, situated at 235 metres above sea level, and is known to supply Finlays.
Nilgiri is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 235 metres above sea level. The estate is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the major players in the global tea trade. The operator is not publicly documented in available trade records.
Terroir & Climate
At 235 metres above sea level, Nilgiri falls into the low-grown category of Sri Lankan tea production. Estates at this elevation typically experience warmer temperatures and more consistent growing conditions year-round compared to their high-grown counterparts. The Southern Province's proximity to the equator generally means ample rainfall and humidity, conditions that tend to favour vigorous vegetative growth and higher yields.
Low-elevation estates in Sri Lanka often benefit from faster leaf maturation, allowing for more frequent plucking cycles. The warmth and moisture at this altitude typically encourage a softer, more pliable leaf structure. These environmental factors generally result in teas with good body and strength, though the slower oxidation of cooler high-grown regions is absent here.
Tea Produced
Nilgiri produces black tea. Low-grown black teas from Sri Lanka's southern regions typically yield a full-bodied, robust cup with straightforward character. Estates at this elevation often produce teas valued for their strength and colour rather than the delicate complexity associated with high-grown leaf. The cup profile tends toward malty, slightly astringent notes, well-suited to blending and to markets that prize boldness and consistency over nuanced aromatics.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Nilgiri is known to supply Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with extensive sourcing, blending, and distribution operations worldwide. Finlays supplies both retail brands and food-service channels across multiple continents, and its procurement from an estate of this profile suggests that Nilgiri's output meets the quality and volume standards required for commercial blending. The relationship positions the estate within the mainstream supply chain serving branded and own-label segments, rather than the specialist or single-origin market.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Nilgiri lies at 6.2416, 80.5264 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 235 m elevation is the joint 21st highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Ivyhills — 2.0 km away
- Co, Op Lanka — 3.3 km away
- Three Times — 3.3 km away
- Walawwatta — 3.9 km away · Western Province
- Yalta — 3.9 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Nilgiri
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Nilgiri (235 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Nilgiri recorded 2,624 mm in 2025, 52% more than the 1,724 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Organic Farmers\u0027 Association (SOFA) | Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka | 232 m | 2,205 mm | 30.5 °C |
| Kairbetta Estate | Nilgiris, India | 231 m | 745 mm | 34.5 °C |
| Yixian Qingye Tea Farm Co. Ltd - final packing and primary processing | Huang Shan, China | 241 m | 1,194 mm | 22.7 °C |
| ACU | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 242 m | 2,770 mm | 29.0 °C |
| Huzhou Jiasheng Tea Co., Ltd. | Zhejiang, China | 221 m | 1,708 mm | 22.1 °C |
Nilgiri Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Nilgiri is drier than 80% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 84% of the others by elevation; cooler than 51% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Nilgiri 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 | Nilgiri | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 235 m | 46 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,624 mm | 3,022 mm | 2,210 to 3,589 mm |
| Mean daily high | 29.8 °C | 29.8 °C | 25.9 to 30.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.3 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Nilgiri (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Nilgiri’s coordinates recorded 2,624 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (444 mm) and the driest was February (49 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.8 °C and overnight lows 22.3 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,624 mm |
| Wettest month | November (444 mm) |
| Driest month | February (49 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 29.8 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.3 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Nilgiri located?
Nilgiri is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.2416, 80.5264, at an elevation of about 235 metres.
What type of tea does Nilgiri produce?
Nilgiri is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Nilgiri supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Nilgiri as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Nilgiri receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,624 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (444 mm).
How does Nilgiri compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Nilgiri recorded 2,624 mm in 2025, 52% more rain than the 1,724 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].