This is a regular favorite for me. I'm most likely to drink it in a cold morning, but I enjoy it at all times of year.

This tea offers extraordinary quality for its price! I bought a pound of it for $6.15 at a middle-eastern grocery store. It is large pieces of broken leaves.

Dry leaf has a rich and complex aroma: malty, spicy, herbaceous, and floral. Has a strong warming quality.

Ahmad recommends a very long steeping time, 8 minutes, and after considerable experimentation, I find I agree with them. This tea is very slow to infuse and loses much of its complexity if only brewed for 3-4 minutes.

Brewed for 8 minutes, aroma is very complex: there is some of the typical Assam maltiness, but many other qualities as well. A hint of rice, suggestive of high-grown Ceylons, and suggestions of dried fruit, reminiscent of a Keemun.

Flavor is also complex: significantly sweet, but also significantly bitter, somewhat sour, and savory as well. Fairly astringent on the palate. Very full-bodied.

If brewed for only 3-4 minutes, this tea is considerably lighter in body and less astringent, and the aroma is much less complex, but it is still enjoyable.

If you paid more, you could probably get a smoother tea, with similar qualities and much less astringency. But this tea is delightful to drink. If you want a budget tea that is top-notch for its price, this one is the way to go.

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