Walawwatta

Walawwatta is a tea estate situated in Western Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 163 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major international tea and horticulture company. The operating company is not publicly disclosed.

Terroir & Climate

At 163 metres, Walawwatta falls within Sri Lanka's low-grown category, a designation that typically encompasses estates below approximately 600 metres. This coastal latitude and modest elevation generally afford a warm, humid growing environment year-round, which tends to encourage vigorous vegetative growth and high yields. Low-grown Sri Lankan estates often experience less pronounced seasonal dormancy than their high-elevation counterparts, permitting near-continuous plucking cycles.

Western Province's climate is influenced by both the south-west monsoon—usually dominant from May to September—and the inter-monsoonal rains. Estates at this elevation typically receive ample rainfall and warmth, conditions that tend to favour fast leaf maturation and robust, full-bodied liquors. The limited diurnal temperature variation common to low elevations generally reduces the concentration of certain volatile aromatics, a characteristic trade-off in favour of strength and colour in the cup.

Tea Produced

Walawwatta produces black tea. Low-grown Sri Lankan black teas generally yield a strong, brisk cup with good colour and body, though they tend to offer less aromatic complexity than teas from the island's higher elevations. Estates in this altitude band often produce leaf suited to blending, prized for consistency, strength and the ability to stand up to milk. The Western Province terroir typically imparts a clean, malty character with moderate astringency, well-suited to everyday breakfast blends and bulk commercial uses.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Walawwatta is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated business with extensive tea-growing, processing and trading operations across East Africa and Asia. Finlays sources leaf from both owned estates and third-party growers to supply major international brands and retailers. The relationship suggests Walawwatta's output meets the quality and traceability standards required by buyers serving high-volume, brand-sensitive markets, though the precise commercial arrangement—whether long-term contract, spot sales or toll processing—is not disclosed.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Walawwatta lies at 6.2764, 80.5244 in Western Province, Sri Lanka. Its 163 m elevation is the 3rd highest of 22 estates we map in Western Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Co, Op Lanka — under 1 km away · Southern Province
• Yalta — 1.6 km away · Southern Province
• Andaradeniya Estate, Devonia — 1.7 km away · Southern Province
• Fairymount — 2.6 km away · Southern Province
• Thammenna — 2.8 km away · Southern Province

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Walawwatta

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Walawwatta (163 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Walawwatta recorded 2,624 mm in 2025, within 5% of the 2,545 mm average across these estates, so altitude explains most of its rainfall.

Estate	Where	Elevation	Rain 2025	Mean high
Dirial Tea Estate	Tinsukia, India	163 m	2,919 mm	28.6 °C
KDU, New Kandagastenne	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	163 m	3,432 mm	29.4 °C
Mcleod Russel India Ltd, Bhooteachang Tea Factory	Assam, India	165 m	1,742 mm	29.1 °C
Kahawatte Plantations, Nilagama	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	166 m	2,770 mm	29.5 °C
Hre\u00f1uk Sa	Misiones, Argentina	173 m	1,860 mm	26.5 °C

Walawwatta Compared with Western Province

In Western Province, Walawwatta is the driest of the 22 estates by 2025 rainfall; higher than 90% of the others by elevation; cooler than 62% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Walawwatta against the 21 other estates we map in Western Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	Walawwatta	Region median	Region range
Elevation	163 m	21 m	9 to 1,272 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	2,624 mm	3,822 mm	2,989 to 4,232 mm
Mean daily high	29.7 °C	29.7 °C	22.7 to 30.1 °C
Mean overnight low	22.2 °C	22.5 °C	15.8 to 23.6 °C

Observed Climate at Walawwatta (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Walawwatta’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 29.7 °C and overnight lows 22.2 °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	29.7 °C
Mean overnight low	22.2 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Walawwatta located?

Walawwatta is in Western Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.2764, 80.5244, at an elevation of about 163 metres.

What type of tea does Walawwatta produce?

Walawwatta is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Walawwatta supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Walawwatta as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Walawwatta receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,624 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (444 mm).

How does Walawwatta compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Estates at a similar elevation recorded about 2,545 mm of rain in 2025, close to the 2,624 mm at Walawwatta.

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].