Craighead Estate Watte is a single garden Ceylon black tea, loose leaf, presented in a 125g tin caddy. It comes from one of four estates personally selected by Dilmah founder Merrill J. Fernando for the Watte collection — a range built around the idea that the character of a fine tea is written by the land it grows on: the particular combination of sunshine, soil, wind and rainfall that Dilmah calls the fingerprint of nature.
The estate sits in Nawalapitiya in Sri Lanka's Central Province at 1,150 metres above sea level, placing it in the mid-country growing belt. The tin's own tasting notes read: deep coloured, with aromas of orange rind, cloves, vanilla, seaweed, earthy, biscuit and peat smoke — a combination that is at once grounding and aromatic. The liquor is rich and robust, with firm, fine tannins. Within the Watte collection, Dilmah places each estate alongside a wine parallel; Craighead is likened to a Shiraz — strong, full-bodied, elegant and velvety on the palate — and is suggested as best enjoyed in the afternoon or early evening.
The tea is handpicked and crafted by traditional, artisanal methods. It carries the Ceylon Tea Symbol of Quality, confirming it is pure Ceylon tea, grown and packed in Sri Lanka. The 'Watte' name comes from the Sinhala word for garden, and the collection represents Merrill J. Fernando's 73-year dedication to Sri Lankan tea. The current generation of teamaking at Dilmah is continued by his son Dilhan C. Fernando, whose name also appears on the tin alongside his father's.
To brew, Dilmah recommends spring water or charcoal-filtered water brought to the boil and then cooled to approximately 90 degrees Celsius. Steep for three minutes, stirring once every minute. The packaging suggests serving in white porcelain, which allows the tea's deep colour to show clearly. Store the tin in a cool, dry place with the lid sealed between uses to preserve the aroma.
