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“I gave this tea a second chance this morning, and must say it is better this time. It’s not great, but perhaps my prior discouraging remarks were based on poor water or a bad day for my taste...” Read full tasting note
Rukeri Estate Black tea is naturally grown in Rwanda. The Rukeri estate was founded by Europeans almost 50 years ago and produces 3, 000 t of orthodox tea per year. This bold black tea is a fine breakfast tea.
In order to preserve the delicate leaves and keep them from breaking, they are minimally handled during the withering process. The dry tea leaves are long, dark brown, wiry, full, and fragrant. Its aroma is sweet and bold.
Rukeri Estate Black tea steeps in a robust and wonderful full-bodied cup; the smooth, malty mid notes of the tea are balanced with a clean, crisp finish and pleasant stone fruit aftertaste.
I gave this tea a second chance this morning, and must say it is better this time. It’s not great, but perhaps my prior discouraging remarks were based on poor water or a bad day for my taste buds. Todays infusion was a deep clear orange color, with a subtle generic black tea flavor, light astringency, and okay aftertaste. Previously brewed with tap water in a different city, now back home using alpine spring water. As the cup cooled, the tea darkened somewhat to a nice brown hue and became less astringent. Frankly, it’s comparable to a Lipton black teabag. Increasing my rating to 65, the same rating I give to that Lipton.
Flavors: Brisk, Tea
Also, last night I used this tea as a base for my own concoction, following a conversation elsewhere with @Roswell Strange about use of tamarind in tea. I prepared a blend consisting of:
2g tamarind pulp
2g tangerine rind
2g tangerine supreme (juicy part)
2g Rwanda Rukeri Estate
8oz boiling alpine spring water
Steep 5 min.
The result was a bright orange, crystal clear liquor. Aroma with notes of tangerine and black tea. Flavor of sweet & sour tartness, notes of tangerine, solid black tea base. Some astringency. Nice long finish. A lump of sugar in the warm last half of the cup enhanced the tangerine flavor and brought the sourness under control. A single re-steep had lighter shade but same hue, with reduced flavors all around, and was still enjoyable. It was a fun experiment and I may use the tamarind pulp elsewhere, too. This tea blend would go well with rich foods.