Rwanda Rukeri Plantation Pekoe Fair Trade Natural African Loose Leaf Black Tea

This is the slightly more mature sibling to its younger Broken Orange Pekoe that has proved to be our best-selling African tea. This Plantation is found in the North of Rwanda and is a collection of small farm-holders belonging to the cooperative ASSOPTHE. ASSOPTHE has 4,526 members, growing tea in two areas named Cyohoha and Rukeri, these are found at an altitude of 5,900 feet. The terroir within this area of high moisture and an acidic soil, produces exceptional quality teas as well as quite high yields.

The Cooperative ASSOPTHE Cyohoha-Rukeri which is Fair Trade Certified, is very close to the SORWATHE Tea Factory, which is also a Fair Trade Certified Hired Labour Tea Producer, this ensures that the leaves are delivered fresh from the field to the Factory. The Individual farmers sell their leaves to SORWATHE, where APPOPTHE owns 13.3% of the shares.

This is a wonderful Pekoe grade, Pekoe meaning third, fourth or fifth leaf, and is slightly more malty than the B.O.P. that we already list, according to Helen it smells of ‘fresh bread’. I would drink this without milk, as that is my preference, and Helen who is a milk lover agrees that it is fine without milk, however, Helen felt that with milk it’s a FANTASTIC tea. And I quote Helen again, “That could possibly be one of my Desert Island Teas”. I steeped these fine leaves for five minutes at 100^oC.