St. James Estate

Uva District                                   
4,000 ft

In the season this district produces heavy flavoury volatile oils and this tea is produced during the night in cooler conditions.

Situated in the famous Malwatta valley. In the sub district of Badulla. It was from this area out towards the coast that Major Rogers is recorded as having shot many hundreds of elephants in the very early days of the British occupation. He was the first planter in this area on Rindipane estate. Hoffmeister in an early reference states that after thirteen hundred he stopped counting. His home had ivory everywhere. To-day this is frowned upon and it was excessive then. However one has to say that there were thousands of elephants then and villagers were constantly calling on him to shoot the animals that were ravaging their lands and homes. He died struck by lightening at the age of 41 and it is said that his tombstone still in Nuwara Eliya  was also struck and split by lightening. Naturally the two matters have been linked as inter related in local folklore and the suggestion is that the elephants had their revenge.

Estate:  744 Acres (302 Hect) - Supports 750 Resident workers, 10 Staff and 2 Executives.

Tea-maker. (Factory Officer): Mr. Thangevale
                                                         
Superintendent. (Manager): Mr. Ranjith Perera

Liquor:    A champagne tea with a slightly darker liquor to Uva Highland. A nicely balanced rounded flowery flavour. Some colour will allow it to balance milk. Low level of leaf in sock or cage allowing removal of the leaf, produces a different light liquor with an emphasis on delicacy and aroma.

St. James estate pack range

Brewing:  
FP  or  F.B.O.P.    3 - 5 minutes. Definitely longer in hard water areas.

Packs Available:                  
Identification Colour: RED

Loose:   100 g, 250 g and 1 Kilo Foil   -  125 g Cartons,     125 g Wooden boxes.