SATEMWA WHITE TWIG

Satemwa Estate situated in the Shire Highlands of Malawi is one of the world's most exclusive estates having been owned and operated by the same family for three generations. The estate has always been exceptionally well run the result being that current owner Chip Cathcart Kay is celebrated throughout the tea world as Malawi's premiere grower. The estate was founded in 1923 by Chip's father Maclean Kay a Scotsman who came to the country via Malaya where he had planted rubber. Maclean wasted no time in getting things growing no pun intended and within the year had established Malawi's first tea nursery. Maclean was also a great innovator and developed many interesting and intriguing teas during his long career. Innovation appears to run in the Cathcart family. Chip has also been instrumental in developing never-been-seen before green and white teas and his son Alexander also appears to be picking up the torch. In fact it was Alexander Cathcart Kay who developed this ultra-limited white twig tea.

In an industry where most of what is produced is designed for low-margin mass-market consumption (think supermarket tea bags) it is interesting to note that these high-end creations aren't simply vanity projects. Rather these teas with their incredibly limited runs and exceptional flavors open new higher margin revenue streams for producers meaning more money is able to stay in the hands of the workers who made them - a positive and welcome achievement in the developing world. Alexander's twig tea is a work of true tea artistry. It is made using Silver Tip stems exclusively the rarest portion of the tea bush. These are meticulously hand-selected before undergoing an intricate hand-processing method - which he refused to share with us! As you can imagine production quantities are exceptionally small - only 400 kg are produced on an annual basis.

The cup is very light liquoring sweet and round in the mouth - an exceptional tea from an exceptional tea family. Social welfare on the Estate.Besides producing fabulous teas Satemwa has an excellent track record of caring for its employees. The Cathcart family provides health care and takes an active role in combating HIV throughout Malawi. Education is provided free of charge and currently the estate's school seats upwards of 900 students. Satemwa is truly a success story. ETP certified.