A birthday present from my parents, purchased from the Harney & Sons store in a batch of mostly African black teas (they know I LOVE these sorts of teas). This was a very hearty tea that I liked right from the start. Robust and powerful, pleasantly rich and aromatic, but tending towards harsh. Still, I kept coming back and wanting more.

Dry leaf is finely broken and smells pleasant, fresh, but with a hint of an off aroma.

Upon brewing though, delicious, especially if not brewed too strongly. I find the 4-5 minutes Harney recommends for steeping to be just a bit longer than my tastes, 2-3 was good, and I used less than a teaspoon of leaf. I think I liked a 2 minute steep most, the tea was still plenty strong-flavored and full-bodied.

In spite of the harshness, there's this amazing richness of flavor and aroma. The aroma is malty with hints of wintergreen and a candy-like fruitiness. Flavor is complex: bitter, sweet, savory, and slightly sour, all at once. I found it delightful but the bitterness would probably keep this from being a favorite of many people. Finish is quite astringent, and I find the astringency builds if you drink it too quickly.

I find this tea's best qualities comes out more if the tea has cooled somewhat, and if you let the tea completely clear your palate before sipping. I haven't yet tried this tea with a meal but I can see it pairing well with a rich, savory meal. It does not, however, pair well with fruit; for some reason this brought out its bitter and astringent qualities.

Good and quite interesting, although in many regards typical for a Kenyan CTC tea.

Price is cheap, and I think worth every penny. This is a very good tea in this price range, although it falls short of the best CTC tea I've tried out of Kenya. (I prefer both Ajiri Tea, which is pricier, and Faharia Ya, which is cheaper.) I am still impressed, and eager to try more of Harney's Kenyan teas.

Add your own review

Login or Sign Up to comment on this review.