In the far east of Sri Lanka, in the province of Uva, lies the Saint James estate, one of the country's most unique gardens. Founded in the late 19th century in the highlands of Badulla, this estate stretches between 1,200 and 1,500 meters above sea level, on sun-drenched slopes swept by sea breezes from the Indian Ocean. It occupies a privileged position: the easternmost of Ceylon's great gardens, where the mountains open onto the coastal plain and the climate is both dry and sunny. It is this geographical location, almost on the edge of the tea-growing region, that gives Saint James its unique character: a rare balance between the robustness of lowland teas and the floral freshness of highland teas.
In Sri Lanka's vast tea-growing landscape, Saint James stands apart from its renowned neighbors. To the west, Kenilworth, in the Kandy region, offers well-rounded, full-bodied, and mellow teas, shaped by a consistently humid climate. Further south, Blackwood, in the Nuwara Eliya region, seems to reach for the clouds: its gardens perched above 1,800 meters produce delicate, almost ethereal teas. And to the northwest, Kallebokka, at the foot of the Knuckles mountain range, expresses the temperate minerality of the island's interior. Saint James, however, lies at the boundary between dry and humid, wind and light; a unique terroir, forged by contrasts.
This unique climate is particularly pronounced during the southwest monsoon, between June and September. While the western coast receives abundant rainfall, Uva remains sheltered by the central mountains: the winds there are dry and powerful, and the nights cool. The tea plants respond by tightening their leaves, concentrating the essential oils and tannins. The post-monsoon harvests then yield teas of crystalline purity, vibrant and slightly minty: teas prized for their freshness and aromatic clarity. This is the famous “Uva Season,” a time eagerly awaited by connoisseurs worldwide.
Saint James Fannings BOP perfectly illustrates this harmonious tension. Its grade warrants some explanation: BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe) refers to a leaf broken after rolling, while Fannings designates even finer fragments obtained by sieving. These smaller cuts do not indicate lower quality; on the contrary, they accentuate the liqueur's power. The more fragmented the leaf, the greater the surface area in contact with the water: the aromas unfold rapidly, the tannins express themselves frankly, and the color intensifies. This is what gives Saint James Fannings its dense and luminous cup, both full-bodied and remarkably clear.
