Dry, this tea has very little aroma. After adding water, the initial aroma is of oak leaves. It smells nice without being particularly complex.

The tea is very astringent and moderately bitter. It's less malty than I would like, so the tea tastes unbalanced. The maltiness mostly appears in the finish, which lingers on the tongue for a few seconds before giving way once again to the astringency.

Twinings' marketing copy focuses on the boldness of this tea, but the blending seems to emphasize its tannic nature while pushing other flavors to the background. It's true that this tea is less bitter than many other breakfast style teas, but it's at the expense of the malty richness that the style is known for.

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