Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Orange Pekoe
Where to Buy: Wanja Tea of Kenya
Tea Description:
Wanja OP (Orange Pekoe) is a whole leaf black tea that is grown in the fertile region around Mt. Kenya by small scale farmers who harvest it by hand. The tea is processed at a Tea Factory that is under the supervision of Kenya Tea Development Agency (a co-op that represents small scale farmers).
Kenya is the number one exporter of black tea and this high quality whole leaf tea is the highest quality Orthodox tea that Kenya has to offer. This is a bold, full bodied tea that is rich in taste and high in quality.
With strong floral and fruity aromas this tea can be enjoyed at any given time of the day. This tea is an excellent substitute to coffee due to its caffeine content and proven health benefits.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wanja OP Black Tea from Wanja Tea of Kenya provides a strong, bold, wonderful experience. Early infusions taste of hints of cocoa, malt, and fruits, while later infusions bring forth notes of leather, cigar smoke, and woods. Truly a delicious cup!
Martin D. Sankale was inspired to start his small scale tea company after several friends loved tea he had brought back from Kenya. So he started up Wanja Tea of Kenya, named after his late grandmother, to honor her memory.
Martin sources his teas from small scale farmers in Kenya’s most fertile tea growing regions.
While Martin currently only has two teas in stock I am watching his online business grow over time, and he selects his teas with the upmost care and concern for his customers! Truly a respectable man!
This tea is a good one! I made myself a cup and throughly enjoyed it. Let me tell you, unlike many black teas, this one cannot be over steeped. Perhaps it can but after forgetting about it for a good ten minutes and it still tasting amazing, that is one hearty tea! I sipped that cup with pleasure then made a new cup with fresh leaves for the purpose of this review. Both cups were fantastic, over steeped or not!
Absolutely not one bit of astringency or bitterness. Rather, malt, caramel, cocoa, and fruit notes abound! The floral note is difficult to determine for me, I taste it, its present, but I have had a difficult time deciding exactly what floral aspect it is, perhaps violet. The floral note seems to be more on the after taste rather than in the sip itself.
I also can’t decide which infusion I like most, while the early infusions provide the wonderful notes that I am used to in a great black, the later notes verge on that of a pu’er with its aromas and notes of an old library.
I hope that more people take advantage of this really affordable price point as well! At four dollars per ounce there really isn’t any reason not to try this tea! This easily could be a daily staple and inexpensive enough to serve to guests, at a party, or event, hot and iced! If I owned a restaurant and wanted a quality but affordable tea to serve my customers, I would opt for Wanja OP Black from Wanja Tea of Kenya simply because it is more than just a good tea, and by far affordable to serve and to enjoy daily!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Wabi Sabi Gaiwan from Might Leaf Tea
Product Information:
Product: Spouted Gaiwan
Where To Buy: Mighty Leaf Tea
Product Description:
The gaiwan, or lidded bowl, is a celebrated vessel for the brewing of fine green, white and oolong teas. This 4.5-ounce container is made of ceramic and will illuminate the complex flavors of any high-grade Mighty Leaf tea brewed inside. You can use to infuse loose tea and then pour into another drinking verssel, or you can drink right out of the gaiwan. The lid of the gaiwan has infuser holes built in so that you can lift the vessel to your mouth and drink the liquid while the leaves are trapped inside.
• Handmade Ceramic
• Includes lide with infuser holes for drinking
• 4.5 oz. capacity
Learn more about this tea ware here.
Product Review:
I have been wanting a spouted gaiwan for ages. I have a regular gaiwan and its a bit smaller than this one, but even still my hands are too tiny to properly secure the lid when pouring. Now I do have very small hands but perhaps the blame is really that I just don’t have the skills. Regardless, I have never mastered using a gaiwan properly.
I first found out about spouted gaiwan on steepster and I was so excited to find one! I have to say I searched, and I searched. Sure I found a few here and there but the selection was few and far between. When I did find one it was usually quite expensive and I just really didn’t want to spend too much on one until I knew that the spouted style would solve my gaiwan issues. In addition to that I do not use a gaiwan often. I truly enjoy using a gaiwan, especially now that I have this one, but I prefer to use one when I have time to sit and have a true gong-fu session rather when I am sitting at my computer working, which is what I am doing most of the time.
Alas finally, I found not only an affordable gaiwan but a truly stunning one at that!
I got this Gaiwan for myself, and a second one for a friend. We both adore them! They are so beautiful with colors of browns and greens. Some areas are marbled, some textured. To me it looks like wood and stone. My friend said the same. Truly, it is a stunning piece of work. It is so easy to handle as well. Wether you have abnormally small hands or really large hands (I saw a photo of my friends hands on Facebook – they are really HUGE!) this gaiwan works perfectly! It also has an internal strainer so you can drink from the gaiwan or you can strain easily.
A spouted Gaiwan is the way to go but I looked all over for one, found few, this one is not only gorgeous, but so affordable!
I have inserted a photo that I have taken of my own Wabi Sabi Gaiwan from Might Leaf Tea. I noticed that my friends is slightly different, which is nice to know that each gaiwan, although equally beautiful, has a personality all its own.
I would recommend this lovely gaiwan to anyone who wants a nice spouted gaiwan at a great price. Especially if you appreciate the beauty of nature because using this makes me feel like I am truly in touch with the outdoors.