By Stephen
From the Tea Zone web site:
“A rich full bodied tea with floral-like flavor notes. The cup has thickness with a malty but lively character. A perfect all day tea. It is the best grade produced by Milima.”
I’ll just come out and say it, I don’t know that I’ve enjoyed a black tea this much in a long, long time.
My initial reaction on the first sip was “Whoa, that’s sweet,” and in fact I asked my wife (who had prepared it for me) if she had added sugar to it. (She hadn’t.) The taste is rich and malty, but not bitter at all. It finishes clean, with a hint of natural, almost floral, sweetness. This is a black tea that could very easily become my everyday, go-to blend.
Tea Zone offers a bit more information about Milima:
“The Milima mark is manufactured at Saosa Factory which is the only factory in East Africa producing orthodox style leaf. This special mark is produced from a delicate clone, which was developed at African Highlands Produce, – Applied Research Department. The clone develops a distinct floral characteristic during the cooler months of June and July when the bush growth is slow. We only buy Milima at this time to obtain the best quality. The leaf is selected from the most suitable clonal bushes on estates Kaproret, Saramek and Chemase. Teas for Milima are grown at 6000 feet or higher. After plucking first thing in the morning, the leaves are gently rolled in order to maintain the floral character and obtain the twisted leaf appearance. After 3 separate rolls, the leaf is allowed to oxidize before being dried, than then sorted into 3 primary grades. GFBOP, GFOP, GFBOP1. Each grade contains a good percentage of golden tips giving the leaf a similar appearance to premium 2nd flush Assam Orthodox teas of North India. The liquors of Milima are bright and orange in color, and impart a floral aroma and taste with a delicious malty almost Bordeaux like character.”
— To purchase Tea Zone Kenya Milima Estate GFBOP, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer’s web site.
