Good morning, dear tea friends! I’ve been told that this season has not been a very good one for Indian teas, Darjeelings and Assams alike. So, I decided that I would expand my horizons and start exploring the African teas, which I’ve been told are excellent this year, at reasonable prices. I’d like to introduce you to a black tea from the country of Tanzania – Luponde Estate GFOP Organic.

I quote from the Luponde website:

“The Luponde Tea Estate is one of the oldest organic tea estates in the world and the climate is perfect for growing tender leaves and flowers which are handpicked, bringing you the highest quality single estate teas. The estate is situated in the stunning Livingstonia Mountains in Southern Tanzania and at an altitude of 7,000 feet. Tea was first planted on the estate in 1954 and today covers 2,212 hectares. There are 730 hectares of planted tea, of which 401 are organic and there are currently 20 hectares of herbal plants. The estate produces on average 2 million kilograms of black tea a year and the majority of this is tea bag grade. The Luponde estate is the only steady source of income for the people who live in this area and in peak season 80 kilograms of wet leaf will be picked per day by one person.”

You may read more about this tea estate here.

I steeped the leaf for 4 minutes in boiling point (212F) water. The aroma of the brewing leaves was of a lemony freshness, portending its crisp flavor.

Look at that gorgeous deep amber color! Magnificent.

The smooth flavor is well balanced with notes of lemon and cedar.  If you like a more pronounced briskness, steep the leaves for 5 minutes. Fair warning though. We recently did that at work and one of my colleagues remarked that it tasted like he was licking a cedar block. Oh my.

This tea would make a wonderful iced tea. Its flavor reminds me of a high quality Ceylon black tea.

On this beautiful summer day, I’ve captured a puffy white cloud in my teacup.

Have a wonderful week!

“So fine was the morning except for a streak of wind here and there that the sea and sky looked all one fabric, as if sails were stuck high up in the sky, or the clouds had dropped down into the sea.”

~Virginia Woolf, To The Lighthouse