Kenya tea

40 Kenya teas from 10 independent UK tea merchants, from £2.40.

Kenya produces some of the most distinctive coffee on earth, and UK roasters prize it. A rigorous auction system, the prized SL28 and SL34 varieties and meticulous double-washed processing yield a cup of extraordinary clarity and punch: blackcurrant, tomato, grapefruit and a wine-like, mouth-watering acidity. Grades like AA refer to bean size, not quality, though top lots are often AA. This is not a shy, comfortable coffee — it is bright, savoury-sweet and best brewed as filter to show off that structure. Kenyan lots command higher prices for a reason. If you have enjoyed fruity Ethiopians and want something with more grip and blackcurrant intensity, Kenya is the next step.