Purchased at the Newark Natural Foods coop in Newark, Delaware. I suspect that this may not have been very fresh.

Aroma is peppery and slightly fruity. Smooth flavor, but mild. Flavor slightly sour. Overall character a lot more like shu (ripened) Pu-erh than like other Yunnan gold teas I've sampled. Upon drinking the whole cup, there's a bit of an astringent finish, like a strong Assam or Irish Breakfast.

I was really not impressed. This was one of the least impressive black teas I've sampled from Yunnan province. I want to hesitate to pass judgment on Two Hills Tea, however, as I personally am skeptical of the Newark Natural Foods coop's ability to keep fresh product in stock. But I do think that this company needs to do something in terms of maintaining an active relationship with their resellers--perhaps making them sign a contract to toss the batch or sell it on clearance after a certain date.

The price is reasonable. I really wish I could know how fresh this tea is. It was stored in an airtight container in a dark part of the store, but it may still have been quite old.

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