One of the most interesting teas I've tried in a while!

The dry leaf, which is quite aesthetic looking, smells very unusual and different. The aroma is strong, quite smoky and also herbaceous, with hints of malt and cocoa. It also reminds me a little bit of the smell of an ashtray though, and also of the "new car" smell, which was a bit odd, but the leaf smelled better than these two analogies may make it seem.

The brewed cup is a little lighter in color than I expected relative to the color of the leaf. Flavor is balanced, between slight sweetness, bitterness, sourness, and savory qualities. Aroma is delightfully complex; it's smoky, herbaceous, and floral all at the same time. Astringency is noticeable through the sip, and lingers a bit in the back of the throat, making this tea seem a bit drying. There is quite a bit of the "peppery" quality that a lot of Yunnan teas are known for.

I found this one of the most interesting Yunnan teas I've tried in a long time, but I'm not sure if it was the most pleasant to drink. Interestingly, although I would expect this tea to be one of the ones that was "harder to appreciate" for people with a typical Western palate, I have found that most people I've served it to tend to like it a lot.

Something about it was oddly refreshing. I normally don't like drinking Yunnan red teas in hot weather, but I found this one was good for the really hot days. It also resteeps well; the second cup is very similar to the first. And the price is great too. Not very caffeinanted; I found I felt pretty mellow after drinking this one. I found this is the sort of tea I liked drinking most on humid summer days where I didn't want to move too quickly.

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