Balangoda Plantations PLC, with 22 estates over 9,000 ha, is renowned for high-quality tea and rubber, especially from its Uva and Sabaragamuwa estates. Madulsima Plantations PLC, comprising 12 estates across 5,505 ha, produces sought-after seasonal teas, notably from the Kirkoswald estate in Dimbulla/Bogawantalawa.

Stassen’s Gowerakelle estate, at 1280m, houses a state-of-the-art green tea factory. The Idulgashinna Organic Tea Garden, at 1800m in Uva, is a pioneer in organic tea production. Stassen also operates a modern tea-bagging facility, serving international markets, and its Idulgashinna estate is Fairtrade certified, supporting community development since 1992.

To make the perfect brew, superior quality, high, medium and low grown teas of Sri Lanka are cultivated at our own plantations that total 20,000 ha. Aside from gaining renown as the award winning producer of the finest quality tea of an eclectic range,

Stassen also account for some of the finest tea plantations in Asia. Lush expanses of our tea estates can be found in the Central, Uva, and Sabaragamuwa provinces – varied altitudes which yield tea’s of different flavours. Some of the prestigious tea estates under our stewardship include Kirkoswald, Pettiagalla, Gowerakelle, Idulgashinna, Kew, Theresia, Cicilton, Wewessa, Mahadowa and El-Teb.

Tea tasting is an art of association involving five main steps: examining dry leaves, brewing, observing, smelling, and tasting. The leaves’ characteristics, size, and aroma provide insights into the quality of the tea to be brewed. Proper brewing temperature and maintaining the right tea-to-water ratio are crucial, with the tea’s color serving as an indicator of correct brewing.

Tasters inhale the aroma of the brewed leaves, as aromatic compounds vaporize quickly. To taste, the tea is slurped rather than sipped, allowing more aromas to contact the olfactory region. This method helps in accurately assessing the body and flavor of the liquor.