West Africa · Drink
Kinkeliba (Herbal Bush Leaf Tea Infusion)
An earthy, amber Gambian wellness tea brewed from dried Combretum micranthum bush leaves, infused with fresh mint and spicy ginger.
The story
Kinkeliba is the ubiquitous everyday tonic of The Gambia, consumed across all ethnic groups at daybreak with crusty tapalapa bread or at sundown to restore vitality. Harvested from the wild woody shrub Combretum micranthum indigenous to the Sudano-Sahelian savannah, the leaves are traditionally dried and woven into cylindrical bundles (kinkeliba corbeilles). Unlike Camellia sinensis teas which become harshly bitter when boiled, kinkeliba contains distinct flavonoid catechins and no caffeine, requiring sustained decoction to release its sweet, forest-floor aroma and rich amber tint.
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