Introduction:To truly understand the globally beloved Ceylon tea, one must explore its origins and evolution. Since 1867, when Scottish planter James Taylor planted the first commercial tea garden in Sri Lanka, this island has gradually built a world-renowned tea brand. This article not only takes you through the birth and development of Ceylon tea but also explains how Sri Lanka’s tea industry transitioned from colonial plantations to modern production, becoming the world’s fourth-largest tea producer. It also recommends classic teas for you to taste and experience.
Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is a South Asian island nation whose name means "resplendent land of light and plenty." Even after officially changing its name to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972, people still commonly refer to the high-quality tea produced there as Ceylon tea. This esteemed reputation is the result of nearly two centuries of cultivation and commercialization.
As early as 1824, the British introduced Chinese tea plants to Ceylon, planting them in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, but these were for ornamental purposes only and not yet for commercial cultivation. It wasn’t until 1839 that the East India Company introduced tea varieties from Assam and Calcutta, formally beginning cultivation experiments.
The commercial development of Ceylon tea began with a new chapter when Scottish planter James Taylor started in 1867 at the Loolecondera Estate in the Kandy region. After arriving in Ceylon in 1852, he dedicated himself to learning planting techniques and traveled to India in 1866 to study tea estate management. Upon his return, he quickly transformed his 19-acre coffee plantation into a tea garden, creating Ceylon’s first commercial tea plantation. Soon after, nearby estates such as Hope, Rookwood, and Mooloya followed suit, allowing tea cultivation to gradually take root in the region.
In 1872, Taylor built the first well-equipped tea factory at Loolecondera, greatly improving production efficiency and tea quality. By 1875, the first shipment of Ceylon tea successfully arrived in London for auction, marking Ceylon tea’s official entry into the international market. This historic step laid a solid foundation for the subsequent flourishing of Sri Lanka’s tea industry.
As Ceylon tea gained increasing popularity in overseas markets, the need to regulate tea trading became apparent. In 1883, with the support of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the first Colombo tea auction was held at Somerville & Co., becoming one of the oldest and largest tea trading markets in the world. In 1894, the Ceylon Tea Traders Association was officially established and continues to oversee the majority of the country’s tea production and trade activities to this day.
To enhance tea production capacity and quality, Sri Lanka established the Tea Research Institute in 1925, dedicated to researching cultivation techniques, increasing yields per unit, and improving processing methods. In 1955, the island’s first clonal tea garden was planted, reflecting the gradual implementation of variety improvement and scientific management. By the 1960s, the total tea planting area had exceeded 200,000 hectares, with annual exports surpassing 200,000 tons, showcasing strong production capabilities.
In 1965, Sri Lanka briefly became the world’s largest tea exporter. In the early 1970s, the government nationalized tea plantations previously owned by British companies and successively established multiple management bodies, including the Ceylon Tea Board in 1976, the Janatha Estate Development Board (JEDB), the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation (SLSPC), and the Tea Small Holding Development Authority (TSHDA), all responsible for overseeing the operation of state-owned tea estates. In the same year, tea bag products were exported for the first time, expanding into more consumer markets.
The international status of Ceylon tea continued to rise. In 1980, it became the official tea for the Moscow Olympics; in 1982, for the Brisbane Commonwealth Games; and in 1987, for the Australia Expo. Starting in 1981, the country also began importing teas for blending and re-export. In 1982, green tea products were launched, and in 1983, CTC tea was officially introduced to meet diverse market demands. In 1992, Colombo hosted an international event celebrating the 125th anniversary of the tea industry and between 1992 and 1993, undertook the privatization of many state-owned tea estates, embracing market liberalization.
Entering the 21st century, digital transactions also entered the tea industry. In 2001, Forbes & Walker Ltd. completed the first online tea transaction at the Colombo auction, symbolizing a new era in tea trading. In 2002, the Kandy Tea Museum was established to document this rich tea history. By 2013, Sri Lanka’s annual tea production had surpassed 340,000 tons, with exports consistently ranking fourth in the world, accounting for approximately19%。
Today, Ceylon tea is cultivated across the country’s six major tea-growing regions: Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Kandy, Uda Pussellawa, Uva Province, and the Southern Province. These regions, varying in terrain, altitude, and climate, produce teas with distinct flavors — from delicate floral notes to rich and bold profiles, each with its own unique charm. Every year, around320,000 tonsof tea are exported from this island to the world, becoming an indispensable choice for many tea enthusiasts.
For those who love coffee, exploring the history and culture of Ceylon tea can broaden your beverage horizons and help develop a keener sensitivity to flavor layers. Try teas from different regions of Sri Lanka to experience the pure tea aroma rooted deep in history.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
