Uda Pusselawa Region

Sitting between the regions Nuwaraeliya and Uva, is the little known and often forgotten region of Uda Pusselawa. This high grown region is known to tea connoisseurs and blenders. Many outside of Sri Lanka will not have heard of it. Dig around and you will be pleasantly surprised by what this region has to offer.

Uda Pusselawa or Ud Puss as it is better known, is still “wild country”: thinly populated with no large towns.

Kirklees Estate - in the Ud Puss Region.

A large part of the region is formed of the Hakgala Strict Nature reserve which is a cloud forest, and a continuation of the Hakgala botanical garden, home to many exotic plant species and leopards. The region is made up of three sub districts Maturata, Ragala and Halgranoya.

Unlike many of Sri Lanka’s other high grown regions, Ud Puss is blessed by two quality seasonal tea making seasons. The Western quality season of January and February, and the Uva season from July to August. Outside of these seasons, a raincoat is essential as rain is present for over 200 days of the year. Many of the of the peaks are covered in an eternal mist. 

Drinkers who are familiar with Nuwara Eliya teas like Lovers Leap, will know of their slight astringency and of Seasonal Uvas like St James that carry a wintergreen flavour. Ud Puss teas produced during the two quality seasons have a naturally pinkish hue, rosy aroma, and unmistakable “tangy” flavour.

Looking down on the town of Halgranoya

Drinkers looking to explore this region should try tea from High Forest estate. The black leaf is large with small golden tips littered through the leaf. The cup colour has a bright orange colour with a seasonal “tangy” flavour that lingers in the mouth. Unlike teas from Uva that have a very heavy mentholated flavour. Mountain Whisper is far more subtle and a great introduction to teas from the eastern slopes of the island.

You can see something about all of the regions here.