I'd never tasted Kenyan tea that wasn't part of a blend from multiple sources, so I bought a jar of the Pure Leaf. Even though this tea is labelled for use as iced tea, I'm drinking it hot (four minutes in boiling water). This is still the only tea solely from Kenya that I've tried, so I don't know how much of the flavor profile is common to other Kenyan teas.

The dry tea is small, broken pieces of leaf, but it's not fannings. It smells to me like a cross between an Assam and a Darjeeling. The maltiness is there, but there are also floral notes that aren't usually apparent in an Assam.

When the water is added, the aroma intensifies to the point that it almost smells thick. The aroma is of malt, molasses and cooked cereal, like Malt-o-Meal.

The first sip is rich and malty, but also more bitter than I expected. There's very little astringency, so the bitterness has a pleasant crispness to it. The finish is reminiscent of hops. It's good, but slightly too bitter to be balanced at first. After the tea is a little cooler, though, the bitterness fades a bit and allows more of the malty sweetness through. The finish remains bitter, though. I find it pleasant, almost like a strongly hopped beer, but as with the beer, those sensitive to bitterness might not enjoy it at all.

I'd really like to try other Kenyan tea. This one isn't quite like any others that I've tasted. It's most similar to Assam teas, but still noticeably different.

This tea is available in many grocery stores and is about $7 for 4.7 ounces. That's not super expensive, especially for the convenience of buying loose tea at a grocery store. Better quality black teas can be had online for similar prices, though.

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