The dry tea is strange-looking. I think it's CTC tea that has been broken up into smaller pieces. Each teabag contains 3g of tea, so expect a strong cup of tea if you're used to American teabags.

Dry, it smells like CTC Assam tea, malty, tannic and slightly smoky. Adding the water opens up the aroma, which is rich and malty, with a less pronounced leafiness than I was expecting.

The flavor is robust even while the tea is hot. The maltiness, astringency and bitterness are reasonably balanced, with a little more bitterness than I prefer. The flavor is much richer and mellower than I was expecting from mass-produced Indian tea, however.

As the tea cools, this tea displays much more depth and complexity than I was expecting, as well. The bitterness actually fades a bit and is more balanced out by the sweetness. I haven't tasted many African teas, so I wonder if that's where the extra richness is coming from. I definitely prefer this tea to PG Tips.

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