Kenmare Estate sits in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka's highest tea-growing district, close to Piduruthalagala, the island's tallest mountain. The garden was named for the town of Kenmare in County Kerry, Ireland, home to the planters who first worked this land in the 19th century, following a common habit among the British and Irish pioneers of naming Ceylon estates after the places they'd left behind. In 2002 Kenmare was named the best tea garden in Sri Lanka, and the estate has kept its focus on high-end leaf ever since.
This FBOP grade, Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe, is orthodox black tea grown between 6,000 and 8,500 feet, and the leaf shows it: well made, broken but even, and full of character in the cup. Steeped, it gives a bright, dark liquor with notes of orange and a thick, almost milky quality that stands up well to milk and sugar, which is the traditional way to take it here.
Brew with freshly boiled water for three to five minutes, longer if you want a stronger cuppa. It holds up cold too, so it's worth trying as an iced tea for a change of pace.
