I always get excited about Makaibari estate and I have not yet been disappointed. This was among one of the smoothest, creamiest teas I've tried from them. It has less bite than the first flush.

Aroma of the dry leaf is suggestive of monsoon/rains teas.

Upon brewing, the aroma becomes much more complex.

I find this is a tea that you need to pay attention to to enjoy. Drinking it idly, it's possible to ignore it as it is a little subtle and its flavor isn't the most interesting. But if you think about it when you drink it, there's a lot going on in the aroma and on the palate as well.

Initial aroma is fruity, but it develops on the tongue into celery-like tones, almost minty. It makes your tongue tingle a bit, without being bitter.

With a 3-minute steeping followed by a longer one, I was able to produce two very flavorful cups. I also tried starting with a 5-minute infusion: this yields a rich cup with a thick, syrupy mouthfeel, and brings out wintergreen tones in the aroma. I prefer a longer steeping time, but it makes the second cup weaker and less interesting if you resteep the leaves.

Compared to Makaibari first flush (also from Arbor Teas) I found this tea was darker, yet tasted "greener"--i.e. more like a green tea. The color of the cup is quite light for a second flush; lighter even than some first flush. The spent leaves have a mixed olive color--olive green to kalamata olive in color.

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