This was my favorite Darjeeling from a tea bag yet.

The dry leaf of this tea, in the bag, smells amazing, even though it appears rather finely broken. There are sweet fruity notes, a hint of spice (caraway?) and some other qualities that I find distinctive but hard to describe.

Brews up a cup that is initially smooth, but with some edgy qualities underneath. Notes of wintergreen come out in the aroma. The cup is fruity, light, and fresh, and the finish is more astringent than I'd expect from the smoothness of the initial sip. As I sip more, the flavor becomes rather bittersweet, and herbaceous tones come out. There's a slight sourness at the end of the cup.

I find this tea quite delightful to drink; it has a complexity rarely found in tea bags, qualities associated with top-quality artisan teas.

Resteeps excellently. Like many high-quality Darjeelings, I found the second steep to be more oolong-like in character: less bitter, more rounded-tasting, but rich, and with floral and vegetal notes. Really enjoyable.

Pricey, but better value considering the high quality, and a better deal considering how each tea bag can be steeped at least twice.

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