My dad bought this at an Asian market and I tried it. The dry leaf of this tea has a dark, dusty, and wiry appearance, with a lot of twigs but also with a surprising abundance of silvery tips--more than I'd expect from a tea in this price range. The leaf is not very aromatic though; it didn't smell terribly fresh.

Upon brewing though, a rich aroma comes forth, which is surprisingly complex: toasty, slightly smoky, and with both fruity and grassy qualities.

Flavor is sour and there is an astringent finish. The flavor is more like bancha than any other Chinese tea I've sampled, but it has a smokiness that bancha never has.

This tea was very cheap: 7.5 ounces for $6.50. I've had much worse teas in a higher price range, but I still prefer paying more for better tea, and believe it or not, I've had better green tea cheaper as well. I don't think I'd recommend this one, when there are teas from Starway importers that are under $5 for 6 ounces that struck me as much higher quality AND come in a metal tin.

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