Kenilworth Garden OP

It seems that I am discovering a newfound love for Ceylon teas so please excuse me while I drool over this for a while, a delightful sample pack from H & S which I received yesterday. My first Ceylon from Kenilworth as far as I know.

I steeped this via regular teapot method this morning. The leaf of this tea smells absolutely fruity, cherries, berries, a red wine type of juicy fullness. I decided I had to drink the first cup of this plain to see how it is by itself.

Holy Wow Batman! My cup is an exceptionally smooth, dark and chocolate-y elixir with a slight malt aroma. I might have used a bit too much leaf because this is quite strong, but good. If I made this again I would definitely use a bit less leaf. I am picking up on a bit of briskness at the end, a slight bit of tannin, but it does not seem overwhelming. I did take off a few points for the tannins (because I am a wuss with acid reflux) but this could be my fault for the overzealous water to leaf ratio. More experiments clearly need to be done!

I guess there is a reason why the Kenilworth Garden is so very famous. I’m a little saddened that I only got the sample pack of this but luckily I know where to get more. A definite yum in my book.

This rose-brown colored tea emits aromas of wood and warm honey. The mouth is much mellower; though somewhat astringent, the has rounded, gentle roasted flavors, with hints of peach and clover honey in the finish.

This medium-bodied middle-grown tea has a wonderfully easygoing nature. The Kenilworth tea estate is one of the oldest in Sri Lanka, established by a Scot in the nineteenth century. Halfway up Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, at an elevation of roughly two thousand feet, the temperatures are not as hot as low-grown tea areas, but the Kenilworth estate is still hotter and more humid than the high-grown areas in the Highland’s peaks.

Kenilworth teas peak in the spring, when the monsoons douse the other half of the island with rain. The monsoons draw their moisture out of the air around the garden, concentrating the flavors in the tea leaves. After harvesting, tea makers at Kenilworth give their leaves a medium wither, in contrast with the light withering of Assam and the hard withering of Darjeelings. To macerate the leaves, they use Orthodox rolling machines, but at a faster pace and for a longer period of time than any other Ceylon tea – two hours. In another unusual step, the rolled leaves are distributed onto trays that circulate for another two hours on a moving belt that snakes around the room. After oxidizing 100 percent, the leaves are dried in ovens at a hotter temperature than that for high-grown teas. The thorough rolling, oxidation, and intense firing help reinforce the mellow, baked flavors that make this one of the most famous teas in Sri Lanka.

Seems like a good standard ceylon. Definitely a good tea for waking me up in the morning – nothing strange or overwhelming, just a strong foundation.

A warm tea, smooth flavor, no bitterness.

This is my favorite Orange Pekoe (Ceylon) tea from Harney and Sons. It rivals A Southern Season’s Extra Fancy Ceylon Orange Pekoe.

This tea was brisk, but quite smooth with the addition of milk. It is a fine morning tea. I gave it a shorter brew time than some blacks and found that some of leaves were broken enough to escape the filter basket. This is an enjoyable Ceylon tea.

This tea has a light, vegetal aroma that reminds me of cooked green beans. The taste is very smooth and bright, with a sweet aftertaste that seems to linger for awhile between sips. It is not very dry at all and I only taste a hint of smokiness. It has a very nice, smooth liquor and goes well with a little cream and sugar, though they are not necessary to appreciate this tea’s flavor.

Sometimes it’s great to go with a classic amongst all the glitz and glamour! Our Kenilworth’s smooth body and sweet apple notes are getting me going for the big weekend ahead! Only 3 more days!

-EWH

Classic estate Ceylon tea. This tea is consistent with other “Kenilworths” I’ve sampled. Kenilworth is rapidly becoming my benchmark for “good tea I like”. There are some better, a lot worse, but so far Kenilworth seems to be a consistent product that I like to drink.