Rukeri Rwanda Black Tea From Rakkasan Tea Company

Now that I have formally introduced my readers to the Rakkasan Tea Company in my recently published Company Spotlight post, I am pleased to showcase their Rukeri Black Tea, sourced from Rwanda.

The factory from which this black tea comes is a participant in the Ethical Tea Partnership, Rainforest Alliance, and Fair Trade. The tea bushes are grown at an average elevation between 5,500 and 6,500 feet (1,680 to 2,000 meters) above sea level. Rwanda’s mineral rich volcanic soil and climatic conditions make it an ideal location to grow high quality tea. The small African nation produces about 1% of the world’s tea.

You can purchase two ounces (57 grams) of this tea for USD $9.99 from the Rakkasan Tea Company website.

Let’s get to the review…

Rukeri Rwanda Black Tea – Dry Leaves

The dry leaves have a uniform dark charcoal gray to black color. There are a few small, bare stems in the mix that have a light copper color. There are no obvious buds or tips in the mix. The mix consists of small to medium size leaf fragments, similar to that of a BOP grade. The leaves are fully oxidized, and machine rolled. The aroma has scents of malt, dry lemongrass, and a light touch of raisin.

Eight grams of dry leaves were placed in an eighteen ounce (530 mL) cast iron tetsubin teapot, and infused with 200°F (93°C) water for 3:00 minutes.

Rukeri Rwanda Black Tea – Liquid

The liquid has a rich, amber-red color, perfectly clear and transparent. The aroma has scents of malt, lemongrass, and light touches of raisins and wild flowers. The body is full, with silky, fluffy texture, and a bright, lively energy. A pleasant twist of briskness and light bitterness round out the character. The taste has notes of malt, lemongrass, raisins, and a light touch of wild flowers. The aftertaste carries the lemongrass, light malt, and light wild flower notes.

Rukeri Rwanda Black Tea – Infused Leaves

The infused leaves have a uniform copper brown color. The mix consists of small to medium sized leaf and stem fragments. The leaves are fully oxidized. There are no identifiable buds or tips in the mix, and a few totally bare stems. The aroma has scents of wild flowers, raisins, and a touch of lemongrass.

This Rukeri Rwanda Black Tea from Rakkasan Tea Company is the first tea I have ever experienced from Rwanda. Absolutely, it does have its own unique character, most notably in the texture and energy of the liquid. The silky, fluffy texture jumps into the spotlight, and a bright, lively energy holds the drinkers attention. The citrusy, earthy note of lemongrass is also fairly easy to identify. I can always appreciate a brisk quality in a tea, and this Rukeri Black Tea had a mild, yet unique briskness to it, which I find very enjoyable. Overall, this is a very nice black tea with a specific quality that I can only attribute to the growing conditions in Rwanda.

Thanks again to the management at Rakkasan Tea Company for providing this sample of Rukeri Black Tea! Have a good weekend, everyone!