In 1890, a Glasgow grocer named Thomas Lipton arrived in Ceylon. He was already famous for his shops in Britain, and he saw an opportunity: Ceylon tea was excellent, but it was expensive and hard to find.
Direct from the garden
Lipton bought tea estates in the hills, including Dambatenne near Haputale, and sold their tea himself, cutting out the middlemen. His slogan promised tea “direct from the tea garden to the teapot”, and his packets made good Ceylon tea affordable for ordinary families.
Lipton’s Seat
High above Dambatenne there is a viewpoint where Lipton is said to have sat to look out over his estates. Known today as Lipton’s Seat, it offers one of the most spectacular views in the hill country, across tea-covered slopes to the plains far below.
Selling a name
Lipton was a master of advertising, and he helped make “Ceylon” a household word for tea around the world. His story is a reminder that the island’s fame was built, first of all, on the quality in the cup.
