Imagine peaceful rolling green terraces … mist filled valleys … streams of pure, natural water … dew drops on vibrant green tea bushes … each leaf plucked gently by hand …
The factory blends into the side of a hill … like incense in a temple the fragrance of oven baked leaves drifts through the air … as the leaves brew in a hot pot of water, they unfold and come to life … a vibrant gold liquid is created as if by magic … each sip, smooth as silk … in a word – it’s serene.
Welcome … On this page, you will learn more about our history.
A way of life – since 1920
Tea has been a way of life for us since 1920. Our current tea is the culmination of all those years of experience spent mastering the fine art. Within the process lies an intangible magic. We invite you to learn more about this magical process.
Brief history
Ceciliyan, located deep in the heart of Ceylon’s tea growing foot hills, has been privately owned and was named after the wife of its first owner. We took ownership of this estate in the 1940s although we started planting tea as far back as 1920. Now over 200 families are gainfully employed at the plantation and they are the people who make it possible to consistently produce one of the world’s best teas. A total of about 60 hectares of tea bushes supply our factory with green leaf. We also work with and buy the best quality leaf from neighboring plantations, which means our factory is running close to full capacity throughout the year.
Going global
In 2002, the founders of Ceciliyan set up a sister company to market and distribute Ceylon’s highest quality tea internationally. Their mission is to give more people the serene feeling that is only possible with a cup of top quality, plantation-fresh tea.
» Visit our sister company: serenetea.com
Location
Nestling in the shadow of the Sinharaja forest, the Ceciliyan Estate is situated in a quaint little town called Kalawana, which is located in the southern Sabaragamuwa province. This hilly region produces some of the finest tea in the country and is also known to unearth some precious gems as well. While finding a gem requires a bit of luck, you can be sure to get an exquisite cup of tea all year round.
Unlike other tea growing areas in Sri Lanka where the “China” varieties of tea are grown widely, Kalawana specialises in vegetatively propagated (VP) clones of tea. These have been selected for their high yields and ability to produce very high quality tea.
