Kericho vs Thyolo vs Gisovu
Three African growing districts that between them supply an enormous share of the world’s blended tea while almost never appearing on a packet. They differ on altitude, on age of industry and on how much of their output escapes the anonymity of the blend.
growing region
What is being compared
Point by point
| Aspect | Kericho | Thyolo | Gisovu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Kenya. | Malawi. | Rwanda. |
| Elevation | Roughly 1,800 to 2,200 m. | Roughly 600 to 1,000 m. | Roughly 1,900 to 2,400 m. |
| When cultivation began | Twentieth century, and now the largest black-tea export industry by volume. | The 1880s — where African tea cultivation began. | Later, and now concentrated at high altitude near Nyungwe forest. |
| Dominant manufacture | CTC. | Mostly CTC for blending. | Mostly CTC, with a regarded orthodox output. |
| Speciality output | A smaller orthodox sector, including purple-leaf cultivars. | A small speciality sector making white and hand-rolled teas under estate names. | Some of Africa’s most highly regarded orthodox black tea. |
| Harvest pattern | Year-round, with no dormant season. | Year-round. | Year-round. |
| Named on a packet | Rarely. | Occasionally, for the speciality lots. | Increasingly, for the orthodox lots. |
The short answer
African tea reaches most drinkers unnamed, as the backbone of blends sold under a packer’s brand. That anonymity is a commercial convention rather than a statement about quality, and the orthodox lots from all three are the standing evidence.
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