Jun 03
Jake’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "Perfect for someone who usually finds black tea too harsh, but not necessarily the best pick for someone who enjoys the complexities of a 1st or 2nd flush Darjeeling"
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Looking at the sample, I was very optimistic. It's listed as a GFBOP, or Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pokoe. I must say, it's a perfect example of that particular grade. It's very clean, and there are even some fine hairs from the buds. It's beautiful for an orthodox CTC tea. The dry smell faintly reminds me of Assam tea.I brewed using 2.5 grams and just boiled water, steeping for about one minute. The liquor is a bright, coppery orange. The hot brew smells sweet like sugar cane. It tastes similarly sweet, and lacks astringency. I sense a little maltiness, but it's not very flavorful. This tea should surely be taken without milk or sugar.
In conclusion, this tea is quite unique. It's perfect for someone who usually finds black tea too harsh, but not necessarily the best pick for someone who enjoys the complexities of a 1st or 2nd flush Darjeeling. It's plain but very drinkable, and at $6.99 per quarter pound, a great deal.
— 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.
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June 6th, 2008 at 10:52 am
A correction: there are no orthodox CTC teas (contradictio in adiectio), though there exist, on the other hand, Rotorvane oolongs and even LPT pu-erhs. This specific tea is made on orthodox machinery in Finlay’s Saosa factory (the other orthodox one in Kangaita belongs to KTDA; all the rest are CTC).
As to the smell which you noted, most of Kenya’s cultivars are tailored assamensis variants, which also have been exported (alas!) to West Africa. Your characterisation of the body is perfect, and indeed outlines the typical positive characteristics of most Kenyan blacks.
Last point: “Milima” is a brand name (Kiswahili for “hills”), not an estate. The Milima green leaves come from 3-4 different estates. Alas, the quality varies extremely, though the importers buffer the worst fluctuations.