A solid-quality CTC Assam that would make a good breakfast tea.

My roommate purchased this at a local Indian store. The date on the package shows it was packed last May, and we just opened the package the other day, so I know I was trying this tea while still very fresh. My rooomate enjoys this with almond milk and, although I do not drink tea with milk, I can see this one working well with milk and/or spices.

The dry leaf is not very aromatic.

The brewed cup is very dark, the aroma is mostly toasty, less malty than I expect for an Assam, and there are notable notes of wood and leather. Flavor is very pleasant: pleasantly bitter and never too much so, exactly what I want in a strong CTC Assam tea. I also found the body of this tea to be just tannic enough to be pleasantly strong, but not too much.

This would make a great breakfast tea. I've become a bit picky with CTC teas lately as I've tried some top-notch ones, and this one wasn't quite on par with some of the top-notch ones I've tried, but it's also pretty inexpensive, and also organic certified. I especially recommend this for people who like strong toasty notes in a tea's aroma.

I liked a 3-minute steep; this yielded good strength without too much bitterness or astringency.

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