Amba Tea Estate is a small, family-run tea garden in Sri Lanka’s Uva Highlands, known for its high-quality, traditionally handcrafted teas. The estate was initially planted with tea, rubber, and cinnamon in the early 20th century. In the 1970s, the plantation was abandoned and lay fallow until changing ownership in 2005. The new owners embrace sustainable and ethical agricultural practices and work closely with the local community to ensure fair labor practices and support small farmers in the region.

One of Amba Tea Estate’s unique features is its focus on traditional tea processing methods. That is, the teas are hand-picked and rolled, and processed according to a method passed down through generations of Sri Lankan tea makers. The tea oxidizes naturally, giving it a distinctive flavor and aroma. The estate produces a range of black, green, and white teas known for their complex fruit, spice, and honey notes. Amba Tea Estate also promotes sustainable tourism in the region, offering charming vacation homes for visitors to stay in while enjoying the beauty of the Uva Highlands.

Amba Tea Estate is a founding member of the CATA (Ceylon Artisanal Tea Association).

CATA (Ceylon Artisanal Tea Association)

CATA is a non-profit organization established in 2016 to promote and support the production of artisanal teas in Sri Lanka and to educate consumers about the unique qualities of these teas. The association represents a group of artisan tea producers specializing in high-quality, single-origin Ceylon teas. The members work closely together to ensure sustainable and ethical practices for growing and processing their teas. In addition, the association also offers marketing and branding support to help its members reach a wider audience. Current members of the group include the renowned tea gardens Amba, Kaley, Monkeytail, Forest Hill, and Ebony Springs.

For more CATA teas @ Siam Tea Shop, just follow the link below:

CATA teas @ Siam Tea Shop

And here’s a link to a video CATA has published to introduce itself and its individual member tea gardens:

https://www.facebook.com/CATACeylon/videos/460977588534963?locale=de_DE

Sri Lanka (Ceylon) Tea History – An Introduction

The history of tea cultivation in Sri Lanka dates back to the 19th century. Sri Lanka then went by the name of Ceylon and was under British colonial rule. Initially, coffee was the main export crop until a fungus disease called coffee rust devastated coffee plantations in the 1860s. As a result of that, the British had to look for a replacement crop. They eventually decided on tea, which was already successfully cultivated in India. As a result, in 1867, James Taylor planted the first tea bushes on an estate in the Kandy region. Subsequently, tea production quickly became one of Sri Lanka’s most important economic sectors.

During the 19th century, tea surpassed coffee as the main export product, and the island became one of the world’s largest tea producers. The British established tea plantations in the hill country and brought Tamil workers from India to work on the plantations. Despite major challenges such as low prices, labor shortages, and political unrest, steady growth characterized the following development of the tea industry in Sri Lanka.

After Sri Lanka gained its independence from Britain in 1948, the government nationalized the tea industry. It took control of the large estates and created a cooperative system for small farmers. In the following decades, the industry faced new challenges, such as changing market demands and competition from other tea-producing countries.

Today, Sri Lanka is famous for its high-quality teas, appreciated for their unique taste and aroma. Tea cultivation and processing remain an important part of Sri Lanka’s economy and cultural heritage. Nevertheless, the development of a market for artisan teas from smaller producers and family businesses is still relatively new. A beautiful example of such a tea is our Amba TGOP!