This was an exceptional tea, and I think its name does not do it justice. It didn't taste classic, it tasted extraordinary!

The dry leaf is black, with very wiry, crinkly leaf that is quite long. The leaf is pleasantly aromatic, and the aroma complex and toasty, suggesting fruit, nuts, wood, caramel, and malt.

Brews up a relatively light-bodied cup with a smooth flavor. Tastes naturally sweet, almost as if honey has been added. New elements come out in the aroma, floral notes. The aroma is milder than suggested by the leaf, and the cup overall has less of a warming quality than I had expected, but it is so incredibly pleasant.

The cup evolves as I drink it, with faintly smoky and vegetal tones coming out more.

If I did not know about it, I would probably have no idea that this was made from the same cultivar as Long Jing green tea, since the processing and leaf is so different, but there is a certain similarity in the sweetness and toasty / nutty qualities between this tea and high-quality Long Jing.

In a second cup, more chocolate / cocoa tones come out. This cup was light-bodied and still sweet. I was able to brew three cups from the same set of leaves, using Western brewing with around 3, 5, and 8 minute steeps, but I preferred a second, long steep and only brewing two cups.

Like most of Joseph Wesley's teas, this one is very pricey, but I think this is one tea worth paying such a price for!

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