Where is Somerset Estate located in Sri Lanka?

Somerset Estate is in the Dimbula Valley on the western slopes of Sri Lanka's Central Hills. The region sits at high elevation — typically above 1,200 metres — and is one of the country's most historically significant tea-growing areas.

What type of tea does Somerset Estate produce?

Somerset produces Orthodox black tea classified as Ceylon High Grown Dimbula. The main grades include BOP, BOPF, BOPSp, and BOPFSp, each offering a different particle size and cup character. The estate is best known for its seasonal flavour teas made during the January-to-March dry period.

When is the Dimbula quality season?

The Dimbula quality season runs from January to March, when the dry north-east monsoon reduces humidity across the western hill slopes. During this period the tea bushes produce leaves with a more pronounced, delicate flavour that is characteristic of prized Dimbula seasonal lots.

What cultivars are grown at Somerset Estate?

The estate grows a mix of approximately 49% old seedling China Jat bushes and 51% VP (vegetatively propagated) cultivars. The standout VP varieties are DTI (Drayton 1) and KO 145 (Kirkoswald), both of which produce the bright, brisk seasonal teas that have made Somerset a recognised Garden Mark.

What does 'Garden Mark' mean in Ceylon tea?

A Garden Mark refers to a tea sold under the name of the individual estate where it was grown, rather than blended anonymously with teas from other origins. Somerset's consistent appearance as a sought-after Garden Mark reflects its reputation for quality and traceability among specialist buyers and retailers.

How is Somerset Estate tea different from other Dimbula teas?

Somerset's particular combination of old China Jat seedling bushes and the DTI and KO 145 VP cultivars sets it apart from neighbouring estates. These varieties respond especially well to the dry-season conditions in Dimbula, producing teas with distinctive brightness and aromatic character that appear regularly among Ceylon's premium single-estate lines.

Where can I buy Somerset Estate tea online?

Lakpura offers several Somerset Estate teas directly, including BOP, BOPF, BOPSp, and BOPFSp grades in 100g packs, as well as branded Somerset caddies from Dilmah and Jaf Tea. These are available to ship internationally through the Lakpura online store.

Is Somerset Estate tea certified as authentic Ceylon tea?

Teas produced at Somerset Estate fall under the Ceylon Tea Board's regulatory framework, which governs the use of the Sri Lanka Lion Logo certification on authentic Ceylon tea. High Grown Dimbula teas like those from Somerset meet the elevation and processing criteria for this certification.

Somerset Estate — Lakpura®

Somerset Estate is situated in the Dimbula Valley on the Western slopes of the Central Hills of Sri Lanka. This area is well known as the traditional tea growing area of the country where tea was first grown around the 1870s following the coffee blight. Teas produced in this region are generally classified as “Ceylon High Grown Dimbula”. January to March is the dry season in this region, during which fine quality Dimbula seasonal flavour teas are produced. The Estate features a combination of 49% old seedling China Jat Tea bushes and 51% VP (vegetatively propagated) bushes comprising mainly of quality cultivates. DTI (Drayton 1) and KO 145 (Kirkoswald) produce exquisite seasonal flavour teas, earning The Estate the reputation as one of Sri Lanka’s best-selling Garden Marks.