Kitimai Tea & Coffee Co.

This has become my favourite “I need a pick up” tea. I have had fantastic Darjeelings with their citrus, muscatel, fruity and floral notes; amazing Assams with their layered maltiness and complex flavours; Estate Kenyans that really enforce their earthy notes and honey tones; as well as diverse other black teas of varying characters.
I have a fairly developed palate, and I can tell you that this tea has a citrus top note, malty, dark and full body, and some astringency which needs to be tempered with milk and sugar. Once doctored, there is an almost Caramel-Honey finish to this tea.
But the main reason this gets the high score from me, is an emotional reaction. Every time I drink this tea I get happy. It is my Happy Tea! Those caramel notes almost make me giddy, and all is better in the world.
So for those dark days, it’s this Happy Tea for me.
Therefore, please note that that my tasting note and rating has a heavy emotional quotient to it.
Other details:
1 tsp per cup, steeped in boiling water for 3 mins for 1st steep. Served with 1 1/2 tsp or sugar per cup, and at least 1/5 of the cup is milk. This tea can go to 4 steeps. The second is a milder version of 1st. 3rd loses the malt but keeps the caramel. 4th is fairly weak, but soft and pleasant.

This is a strong tea, similar to Yorkshire Red Label tea. It is loose leaf in the “cut, tear, curl” style, so that it looks like tiny balls. You only need to steep for a very short period of time. It holds up excellently with milk. I like this one in the morning or whenever I need a pick-me-up. An excellent standard tea that I think everyone should have handy in their pantry.