Kenilworth Estate sits in Nuwara Eliya, in Sri Lanka's Central Province, roughly 100 kilometres from Colombo. It's the flagship garden of Watawala Plantations, named after a castle in Warwickshire. Of its 603 hectares, just under half is planted with tea, and the estate sits at 616 to 640 metres, catching both the Southwest and Northeast Monsoons across roughly 4,500mm of rain a year spread over 200 days. Those conditions shape a cup that runs sweeter and maltier than most Ceylon black teas.
The grade is FBOP — Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe — a broken-leaf style that's fairly unusual for Sri Lankan tea and gives a stronger, fuller flavour in the cup than whole-leaf grades typically manage. Expect a coppery, light-toned liquor and notes of lemon, orange, honey and malt, with a thick, rounded body reminiscent of Assam.
Brew it with freshly boiled water and let it steep for three to five minutes. It stands on its own, but takes milk, sugar, honey or lemon just as well if that's how you prefer your black tea. A cup carries a moderate amount of caffeine, roughly 45mg per 8-ounce serving, which puts it solidly in morning-tea territory. Tea & Coffee packs the leaves fresh to order rather than holding stock, which is worth knowing if freshness matters to you.
