I'm not all that familiar with Kenya black tea. That shouldn't be too surprising, as much of what is produced is non-orthodox tea intended for blending. As a result, most of the Kenyan tea I've consumed has been in blended and bagged teas, such as Barry's Gold Blend and Williamson's Lifeboat. It doesn't help that I just can't seem to warm up to Irish teas, which are often blends of Assam and Kenyan tea, and which I generally find too blunt and heavy for my taste. By association, I have tended to steer clear of both pure Assam and Kenyan teas. That's a shame, because I'm now starting to realize what I've missed.
Anyway, this Kosabei Estate tea is not what I was expecting. An examination of the leaf tells you that it was plucked and processed with considerable care. My sample had a combination of small whole leaf, broken leaf, tiny whole buds, and a few fine stem pieces. The oxidation was quite light, falling in between a typical black tea and a Mi Lan Dancong Oolong. The tea brews up a deep orange/amber. The pleasant aroma is clean, and on the subtle side, with more floral character than I expect of a Kenya Black, but still retaining that characteristic aroma I identify with Kenya. The taste was similarly restrained and clean, again combining the floral nature with a bright version of the typical Kenya flavor. A healthy dose of astringency finally makes its appearance going into the aftertaste, which is crisp, subtle and fairly long, with a caramel note.
This is a tea for sippers who like to eke out nuance in their teas. If you are looking for a dark, powerful Kenyan tea similar to Lifeboat, this tea will probably seem too light and subtle. If you favor a clean, tight, high-mountain character over forward, lush flavor, give it a try.
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