Join Upton Tea Imports Tea Consultant Melissa on her life-changing tea trip in our article, A Journey of a Lifetime: Sri Lanka, published in our Winter 2024 Quarterly. To download a PDF version of the Upton Tea Imports Winter 2024 Quarterly, please Click Here.
Ayubowan (Aayu-bo-wan), dear reader! In Sri Lanka, this is the customary way to greet and welcome each other. It means “May you live long!” As winter’s cold draws near, I find myself settling in with a hot cup of Ceylon tea to warm my soul. It helps me to remember and hold close treasured memories of my recent trip to Sri Lanka, where the warm air encompassed me with the scent of cinnamon and tea flowers, a magical place where the misty mountain rains took my senses to new heights.
Join me on a journey to a nation that is steeped in tea history, filled with spectacular landscapes and amazing food, a culture where the people share the joy in their hearts through their smiles.
I was honored to embark on the trip of a lifetime this past summer. After many years of study and developing a passion for tea, I was finally able to experience tea at its origin and witness the process of cultivation to cup. Simply put, it changed my life.
I had never been so far from home. Not only did I travel far and wide, I also traveled time: leaving on a Friday and arriving in Sri Lanka at 3:30 am on a Sunday. As my traveling companions and I disembarked, we were warmly welcomed by our enthusiastic tour guides who adorned us in orchid flower necklaces.
Settled on a bus shortly thereafter, we headed into the heart of downtown Colombo. I was surprised that the sun had yet to rise, however, the air was already sweltering at 90 degrees. Upon our arrival at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, we were greeted with refreshing tea and sandwiches. After a quick nap, we embarked on a city tour to learn all about the capital of Sri Lanka and its history.
Cinnamon and the spice trade has been a monumental part of Sri Lankan history. It was highly sought after by the Portuguese when they arrived in Colombo in 1505. Interestingly, the red chili pepper that is used in red curries is not native to the country and was brought over from Portugal.
In 1602, the Dutch arrived in Sri Lanka and the Dutch East India Company was established to protect Dutch trade interests. By 1665, the Dutch ruled over most of the island, using the name “Zeylan,” from the Portuguese use of “Ceilão.” Dutch rule ended when the British arrived in 1796 and anglicized the island’s name to Ceylon, which was formally used during their colonial rule. The British brought with them the concept of an agricultural estate economy, primarily in coffee.
By the 1860s, Ceylon was known as a major producer of coffee until a fungal disease, coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), decimated the coffee industry a decade later. From the coffee grounds of despair arose a new hope. In 1867, James Taylor*, a Scottish planter, began tea cultivation in Kandy at the Loolecondera Estate. Within 20 years, the nation was filled with tea estates and a demand for tea. James Taylor devoted his life to the cultivation of tea in Ceylon and is honored as the “Father of Ceylon Tea.” The British remained for approximately 150 years. It was not until 1948 that Ceylon became an independent nation and, in 1972, the country’s British-given name of Ceylon was changed to Sri Lanka.
After a thrilling day in Colombo learning about all the industrious contributions Sri Lanka has produced: cinnamon, spices, coconut, rubber, and every type of gemstone you can imagine, we experienced a cultural delicacy when we feasted at a one-of-a-kind meal preparation of fresh crab.
Next stop was the tea growing region of Nuwara Eliya, a 5-hour bus ride from Colombo that climbed 6,000 feet above sea level. Several hours later, a break to appreciate the stunning views delivered a lovely afternoon cup of strong Ceylon BOP to fuel us. As we continued our trek up the mountain, I started to glimpse the plant I had been yearning to encounter for at least 25 years of my life: Camellia sinensis, tea bushes wild in their element, growing towards the heavens.
I clung to the window of the bus with excitement as numerous tea estates passed by, and more rows of heavenly tea bushes appeared. I kept snapping as many photos as possible on that bumpy bus ride that wound up into the mountains. We arrived at the Mattakelle Estate and pulled up in front of the Estate manager’s bungalow, where we enjoyed a delectable meal together.
After our meal, we were each adorned with a bindi, a decorative mark on the forehead, and a beautiful necklace made of tea leaves and hydrangeas. As we learned about the estate and how it enriches the lives of its workers, we enjoyed an amazing cup of golden curl tea.
The Mattakelle Estate has been making great strides in gender equality through its Women in Leadership program. This program currently has 10 women in management roles throughout the estate, with both men and women in their charge. They are changing social barriers regarding women in the workforce, facing any criticism head-on. It was an honor to be in the presence of these pioneering women and to see their incredible strength.
We went on traveling from one inspirational estate to another, most notably the Dessford Estate, where we were greeted with a hearty welcome and a beautiful array of foods and teas by the Estate manager.
At the Dessford Estate, they provide meals for the staff and their families through their community kitchen. They also have an on-site school, where children learn and enjoy wholesome meals while their parents work. It was the most heartwarming experience to visit with the children at their snack time, where they sang a song for us. These children were so polite, and it was a joy to spend time with them. During the lunch service, we also helped deliver meals to the workers in the fields.
My most life-changing experience was picking tea with the women workers in the fields. Even though we did not speak the same language, we did not need to because, in this instance, smiles and twinkling eyes did more communicating than spoken language. The woman I was honored to work with showed me where the two leaves and bud awaited the picking and the special twist of the wrist in the pluck. I was in awe of the speed, paired with the graceful precision, in which she moved across the field. The work these women achieve is impressive as they traverse steep mountainous inclines, carrying heavy baskets filled to the brim with the finest tea leaves that have been picked at a speed rivaling a NASCAR driver, all while braving the elements, be it heat, rain, or fog. Not only do these extraordinary women have to face the changing weather conditions but must also be watchful for the occasional leopard and snake encounters. Many estates are working toward a better future with more care and rights for their workers, prioritizing health and safety. As we were leaving, the woman who was my teacher said the word “beautiful” in English and pointed to her heart then mine. I did the same back to her. I will cherish that moment forever and was so grateful to spend time and learn from her.
During our time in Nuwara Eliya, we also visited the Heritance Estate for an exquisite afternoon tea, where the view was from a mountain top surrounded by cascading tea bushes. We toured their organic factory and learned about the complete processing of our beloved leaf: withering, rolling, roll breaking, oxidation, drying, sorting, and packing. We learned firsthand how the processing machines work, many of them originating from the 1800s and still used to this day because they’re so efficient.
At the Pedro Estate. where our TC102: Lover’s Leap OP tea is grown, beautiful murals depicting the “Champagne of Ceylon Tea” are painted on the walls of the factory. With its bright, full-bodied flavor, you will understand why it’s so esteemed. My favorite mural proclaimed, “Where there is tea there is hope.” Later, with tea harvesting baskets strapped on our backs, we made our way down a steep, narrow incline to the tea bushes where we practiced our tea plucking. Our group diligently collected as many picturesque leaves as possible, prizing the perfect two leaves and a bud discovery. It was also at the Pedro Estate where we learned more about James Taylor. A sign hanging there announced that Lover’s Leap was the only estate owned by the “Father of Ceylon Tea,” where he planted 200 tea plants in 1886. It was a joy to visit the Pedro Estate and drink the delicious nectar of these plants in what felt like a treehouse perched above the fields.
In Talawakelle, we stopped at the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka. In operation since 1925, this institution has helped discover new technology and practices while protecting tea agriculture. An incredible well of knowledge, the institute gave us a history lesson on tea, its various cultivars, disease prevention, harvesting, and many other related topics. Our group participated in a formal tea cupping, a truly exquisite experience.
Traveling to northern Sabaragamuwa province, we learned more about the exotic spices of Sri Lanka at the Greenland Spice and Herbal Garden. Strolling through its beautiful garden, we learned about the different spices cultivated there: pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger, as well as native fruits like coconut, pineapple, and banana. After our tour, we were served a delicate spice tea as a treat, and we all left with several purchases.
We then explored the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Kegalle. With 93 elephants currently in their care, this remarkable place has been saving and protecting elephants since 1975. While we had lunch, we watched the elephants enjoy being pampered with their afternoon bath, a majestic site to behold.
Last on our tour was the Colombo International Tea Convention, where President Ranil Wickremesinghe kicked off the opening ceremony. It was a thrilling experience to see the atmosphere of respect and camaraderie in the room for his Excellency. The convention was a wealth of information that dove deep into the industry of tea from “cultivation to cup,” as they described it. This year’s convention focus was, “Tea: A Lifestyle and a Livelihood.” It emphasized how much value tea gives — from providing for the workers in the field to the shipping team in a warehouse to your favorite cup. Every step from farming to factory to your cup provides livelihood and enjoyment for so many. And, as tea nourishes your lifestyle, it gives back to those around you when you choose a cup of tea.
This was the experience of a lifetime; one I will always remember. I learned more about life, humanity, myself, and, of course, our beloved tea leaves! We invite you to explore and sample our teas of Ceylon. Ayubowan!
*For more information about James Taylor, please refer to the Tea Quarterly Archives (Volume 31, Issues 2 and 3) on our website.