Kenya Milima Estate

European colonization of Africa from the late 19th to the middle 20th centuries resulted in tea cultivation in several countries, such as Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.  It is a tea jungle out there.   Most African tea production is done mechanically or CTC (Cut, Tear and Curl) for black tea blends or for tea bags.  Tea is a significant export product for these countries.

Kenya straddles the Equator and can grow teas year-round.   It has been producing some great teas, including white, green and even purple.   Milima Estate is one of the premier tea plantations in Kenya.

Kenya Milima

Type:  Black     Producing Country: Kenya   Preparation:  95°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:   A few golden tips mixed with dark CTC leaves are sweet and biscuity.
Wet Leaf:  The leaves are brown and have the scent of straw.
Liquor:      The liquor is mahogany-colored.  It is a tea that will take milk and sugar well as it is brisk, strong, spicy, astringent and lightly malty.

Tee Score: 4 out of 5

Nilgiri Thiashola Estate

The Blue Mountains or the Nilgiris in Southern India are hilly landscapes dotted with tea gardens.  Nilgiri district is the second largest tea production area in India after Assam. Geographically, it is closer to Sri Lanka.  Not surprisingly, its teas are similar to those of Sri Lanka.   Nilgiri teas are often used for blending.

Thiashola Estate is probably the oldest tea garden in Nilgiri.  Its tea plantation started in 1859 and was cultivated by Chinese prisoners of the second Opium War.

Nilgiri Thiashola

Type:  Black     Producing Country: India    Preparation:  95°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  The leaves are wiry and lightly raisiny.
Wet Leaf:  The broken leaves are pleasantly floral.
Liquor:      The brew is coppery.  It has some astringency and is fruity (prune-like).  It is not very complex.

Tee Score: 3 out of 5

Assam Banaspaty Estate

The Bruce brothers were the pioneers of Assam teas.  Robert Bruce, a Scot, discovered indigenous tea bushes in Assam in 1823 with the help of some local tribal people.  After Robert's death, his brother Charles set up the first tea plantation around 1830 to grow and produce teas.

Assam tea is named after the area Assam, which is the largest state in Northeastern India.  Assam tea bushes (Camellia sinensis assamica) are different from Chinese tea trees (Camellia sinensis sinensis).  Assam tea trees have larger leaves and produce a stronger tea.

Banaspaty is one of the many tea gardens or estates in Assam.  The tea was organically grown.  

Assam Banaspaty

Type:  Black     Producing Country: India    Preparation:  95°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  The black FTGFOP (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) grade leaves have the aromas of raisins, figs and biscuits.
Wet Leaf:  The nose of the brown wet leaves is wicker.
Liquor:      The brown tea is is full-bodied, brisk, chocolaty and astringent.  It is not very malty.  Maltiness is a typical trait of an Assam tea.

Tee Score: 4 out of 5

Nepal Black Tea

Shangri-La, the fictional Shambala depicted in James Hilton's novel "Lost Horizon", could conceivably be in Nepal.   Situated in the Himalayas and sandwiched between China and India,  Nepal is home to the majestic Mount Everest.

Tea cultivation in Nepal grew slowly but has sped up in the last 20 years.  Most of the tea plantations are located in the eastern regions.  One of the major tea producing regions is Ilam, a hilly and beautiful place.   With its close proximity to Darjeeling, India, Ilam and other Nepal teas seem to be 'Darjeelingish'.  

Nepal Black First Flush

Type:  Black     Producing Country: Nepal      Preparation:  95°C 3 Min

Dry Leaf:  The mixed-colored leaves are wiry and dried-fruity (e.g., raisins).
Wet Leaf:  Interestingly, the wet infusion has a nice menthol or minty aroma.
Liquor:      The golden tea is smooth and floral.  It does have the astringency of a first flush Darjeeling.

Tee Score: 3 out of 5

Nepal black Ilam Estate

Type:  Black     Producing Country: Nepal      Preparation:  95°C 3 Min

Dry Leaf:  The tea is a TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) grade and contains leaves that are richly stewed-fruity.  
Wet Leaf:  The leaves are floral and wet-hay-like.  
Liquor:      The tea is coppery.  It is sweet with astringency and a cinnamon note.

Tee Score: 3 out of 5

Yixing Teapots

A 1948 Yixing teapot crafted by a master ceramicist was auctioned off in Beijing in 2010 for nearly US$2 million.   Whoever purchased the teapot must have been guarding it like a crown jewel.

Authentic Yixing teapots are made in Yixing Dingshu Town using Zisha (purple sand) mined from Yellow Dragon Mountain.  Zisha is an overarching name for at least three types of clay: Zhuni (red yellow clay), Zini (purple clay) and Luni (green clay).   The clay mined is in rock form and requires special preparation before it can be used.  Yixing clay is becoming scarce.

The price range of genuine Yixing teapots varies from a hundred to a few thousand dollars.  The collectible teapots are usually designed and hand-crafted by master ceramicists who underwent training for years.  Most  of the economical Yixings on the market are 'wannabes'.   There is nothing wrong using these Yixing look-alike teapots as long as they don't contain harmful lead.

A good Yixing Zisha teapots should have the following characteristics:

• The lid fits the inner rib of the body perfectly.
• The height of the lid stem is 1.5 cm. 
• The lid, the knob on the lid and the handle form one straight line.  
• Water flows out of the sprout effortlessly.

Due to its porous structure and mineral composition, a Yixing teapot retains heat and enhances the aroma of oxidized teas, including Oolong and Pu'er.   A Yixing pot also retains the flavor and color of a tea; therefore, it is best to brew one type of tea in one specific pot.

Yixing lid stem 1.5cm

Iron Goddess Taiwan

The original tea trees planted in Mucha, Taiwan, were brought back from China's Anxi county around 1896. Over the years, Mucha Tie Guan Yin or Iron Goddess of Mercy is still being produced according to the traditional method, including hand-picked leaves, longer oxidation and heavier roast.

Iron Goddess Mucha

Type:  Oolong     Producing Country: Taiwan      Preparation:  95°C 5 Min

Dry Leaf:  The nose of the dark beads is a combination of  toast, mint and chocolate.
Wet Leaf:  The very dark leaves smell floral and a bit charcoal-like.
Liquor:      The golden amber tea is smooth, sweet and creamy.  It can be steeped many times.  The first couple infusions are like tasting airy chocolate milk.  Subsequent infusions are  similar to eating after-dinner mint chocolate thins.  It is lengthy in the mouth and has a pleasant roasted flavor.

Tee Score: 5 out of 5

Iron Goddess China

Iron Goddess of Mercy or Tie Guan Yin appeared to an Anxi county (Fujian, China) tea farmer in a dream about a unique tea tree.  Later on, the farmer did uncover a few special tea trees beside Iron Goddess' temple.  He was able to produce a sweet, fragrant tea from the leaves.  This is one of the legends about Tie Guan Yin, which is also the name of the cultivar.

Traditionally, Tie Guan Yin was a darker oolong.  Due to consumers' preference in recent years, Anxi Tie Guan Yin has become a very 'green' oolong.  This particular tea is Tie Guan Yin King, i,e., a higher grade.   As for monkey-picked Tie Guan Yin, it is also a choice grade.  This is another legend: in the 18th century, monkeys were trained by monks to pick the nicest leaves from wild tea trees to make tribute teas.  Nowadays no monkeys are willing to work for bananas.

Tie Guan Yin King

Type:  Oolong     Producing Country: China     Preparation:  95°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  The olive green chunks are vegetal and like tiny frog legs.
Wet Leaf:  The leaves are very large and emerald green.  They are fresh and floral.
Liquor:      The yellow tea is light, clean and sweet.  It is very floral (orchid) as well as grassy.  The astringency is balanced and the aftertaste is refreshing.

Tee Score: 5 out of 5