This was my favorite broken-leaf Assam that I've ever tried. Surprisingly sweet and nuanced for a broken-leaf tea, and an excellent price, especially given that it's organic certified.

Dry leaf has a pleasant fruity and malty smell, typical for an Assam but smelling sweeter. Although it's a finely broken tea, the smell suggests far above-average quality.

Flavor is also subtly sweet, but against a background of a robust and well-balanced cup with a good amount of bitterness and some lightly sour and savory flavors as well. The cup is quite aromatic, with a rich malty aroma and notes of fruit and a hint of wintergreen and vegetal notes.

Using a teaspoon and a 3 minute steep, was a tad thin, especially as the cup cooled. I preferred a 5 minute steep. This brings out the sweetness more, and brings up the bitterness and astringency about to the level I most want. Alternatively, I also tried using a little more than a teaspoon and a 2 minute steep and this produced very good results. Can be resteeped surprisingly well for a broken-leaf tea, especially if the first steep is shorter.

A final note, I found that this tea tasted best when still hot. Still enjoyable when warm, but it lost some of its magic.

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