From May to September the southwest monsoon blows giving the southwest part of Sri Lanka its heaviest rainfall. The central mountains rising up to 9000 feet cause a rain shadow to the eastern side of these hills, a district known as Uva. These cool dry winds blow across these eastern lands creating very dry conditions in Uva. These conditions in conjunction with the mountain soils bring about a chemical change in the tea shoots creating a distinctive Uva taste profile. The unmistakable taste is highly sought after during this special time of year for Uva teas.
St. James Estate is situated in the famous Malwatta valley, located in the sub district of Badulla. It was from this area out towards the coast that Major Rogers is recorded as having shot several hundred elephants in the very early days of the British occupation. He was the first planter in this area on Rindipane estate. Hoffmeister in an early reference states that after thirteen hundred he stopped counting. His home had ivory everywhere. To-day this is frowned upon and it was considered excessive then. However, one has to say that there were thousands of elephants then and villagers were constantly calling on him to shoot the animals that were ravaging their lands and homes. He was struck by lightening and died at the age of 41 and it is said that his tombstone that is still in Nuwara Eliya was also struck and split by lightening. Of course, the two events have been linked as inter related in local folklore and the suggestion is that the elephants had their revenge.
Today the estate is 744 acres and supports 750 resident workers, 10 staff members, and 2 executives.
