Country of Origin: Malawi
Leaf Appearance: deep green, curled
Ingredients: green tea
Steep time: 2 minutes
Water Temperature: 170 degrees
Preparation Method: glass teapot
Liquor: pale gold
Satemwa Tea & Coffee is one of my favorite sources when it comes to African teas. Not only are they committed to social responsibility but they also have a lot of experimental creations that really set them apart. This is a green tea that has been steamed as well as rolled. There were sweet grassy notes that I had a hard time describing. It wasn’t exactly like a Japanese green tea but terroir probably accounts for that subtle difference. A fruity undertone kept things interesting but otherwise, it was a fairly mellow brew. The mouth-feel was thick and buttery with a lingering aftertaste. This tea re-steeped well but I would recommend leaving just enough water to cover the leaves in between rounds. This helps to maintain the flavor without weakening it or becoming too bitter. Satemwa does not sell their tea directly to consumers but thankfully there are quite a few places that you can order them, like What-Cha. I really enjoyed this tea but I still think their antlers white tea is my favorite.
Zomba Steamed TSFOP sample provided by Satemwa Estate.