A Story Brewed in the Hills of Mandaramnuwara

The story of tea in Sri Lanka begins long before it ever touched a cup. When coffee plantations in the central highlands collapsed under the weight of the coffee rust disease in the 1800s, a new plant quietly took root. One that would go on to shape the island’s economy and culture for generations. It was James Taylor who first introduced the tea plantation to Sri Lanka in 1866. After a series of experiments, he cleared 19 acres of land in 1867 and established a modest estate in Loolecondera. Building on the success of those first few acres, tea quickly took hold, spreading across the hills, turning former coffee planters into tea planters.

In the hills of Mandaramnuwara, the Kabaragalla Tea Factory, built in the late 1800s, quietly carried that legacy forward. For decades, it produced tea using traditional methods, with its old walls witnessing the rise and resilience of an industry. Now, nearly a century later, that same factory has been transformed into The Tea and Experience Factory of Thema Collection; a space where the past and present meet, and where the journey of tea unfolds, leaf by leaf.

The leaf-to-cup experience at Tea and Experience Factory begins in the green tea plantations, where our naturalist shows guests how to identify the right leaves. Only the topmost bud and the two tender leaves below it are picked. Pluck too low, or too roughly, the leaf will not make good tea.

The fresh leaves are carried to the factory, where withering begins. Spread out on large troughs under controlled humidity and airflow, the leaves slowly lose their moisture. They grow soft and pliable, their cells beginning to change. This stage is critical. Withering reduces water content by nearly a third while unlocking the chemical compounds that will later define the tea’s aroma and taste.

Then comes rolling, where the leaves are twisted and pressed using large, old mechanical rollers. The motion ruptures the cells and mixes the leaf’s natural enzymes with oxygen. It’s here that oxidation truly begins. To further break down the leaf and intensify the reaction, the material is passed through a rotorvane machine, which follows finer maceration steps.

After rolling, the leaves are sifted through roll breakers. These machines separate the finer particles, which we call dhools, and prepare them for uniform fermentation. It’s a moment where precision and timing matter most. The dhools are laid out and left to oxidize; the air in the room is carefully controlled. As the minutes pass, their color darkens, and their aroma deepens…

Once fermentation reaches its peak, the leaves are moved to the dryers. Hot air flows through machines to halt oxidation, lock in flavor, and reduce moisture content to a stable level. When the tea comes out, it’s dry, aromatic, and ready for refinement.

What follows is cleaning and grading. The machines extract stalks, fibers, and dust, and what remains is sorted by size and quality into distinct grades, each with its own taste profile and brewing character.

In the tasting room, guests test the finished teas. Spoons dip, slurp, and swirl through rows of cups. Some brews are floral and earthy, others bold and malty. Behind each sip lies a process of patience, knowledge, and transformation. And finally, the teas are packed, neatly sealed, ready to carry the essence of Kabaragalla out into the world.

At The Tea and Experience Factory, tea isn’t just something to drink; it’s something you live. From leaf to cup, every step draws you into a story still in the making.