A sample from the store in Regensburg, Germany. Thank you for the sample!

Dry leaf has a remarkable aroma, strong, spicy and fruity, reminiscent of potpourri. The smell of the dry leaf is incredibly pleasant, and is what I liked most about this tea, although the rest was enjoyable too.

The brewed cup is much more like a typical Assam black tea: intensely malty, potent, with moderate bitterness and astringency, and some vegetal notes. The spicy and fruity qualities are still there, but they become more of accents against the strong, malty background.

I also tried drinking this tea together with food, and I find it pairs well with food in general, and remarkably well with rich and/or sweet foods, especially chocolate. Its bitterness is exceedingly refreshing after a bite of anything sweet or fatty. I could imagine drinking this alongside a slice of cheesecake or a rich chocolate torte.

TeaGschwendner describes this as classy, authentic, malty, and soft, and I agree on all counts. My only disappointment with this tea is that it was a one cup wonder. The second steeping can be enjoyable, but is always thin for me, unless the first is so short as to not get the most out of it.

Price is fair; this is a little more than the typical Assams, but the flavor and aroma is a little more refined. Interestingly, I don't see this tea for sale in the US-based TeaGschwendner shop; perhaps it's only available in Europe.

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