Thank you Dewey for providing me with this sample!

This is a low grade of tea, fourth grade, and is incredibly cheap, a pound for under $14. That said, I'm completely blown away. It's fresh, aromatic, smooth in flavor, and better than a lot of dragon well marketed as higher-grade. It feels much lower in caffeine, which might be a plus for some people.

The dry leaf is mostly large, intact pieces of leaf, with some whole leaves, strongly aromatic, smelling slightly dusty but also nutty, toasty, and suggesting sweet and savory flavors.

Brews up a very smooth cup. Slightly dusty mouthfeel, mild flavor, lightly sweet, not very bitter, only a pleasant light bitterness in the finish. Aroma is like the dried leaf suggests, nutty and toasty, notes of chestnut, a faint hint of smoke.

Easily makes a second and third cup, even with just a teaspoon of leaf and western-style brewing. I recommend 2, 5, and 12 minute steeps, or alternatively, 3-5 and 12-15 for two stronger cups. The big leaf is slow to infuse.

Such a great find! It's exciting to find a tea this cheap that's this good. Only the truly top-end dragon wells, like the ones I've reviewed from TeaVivre, would beat this one out for me.

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