This is a very dark Darjeeling. I enjoyed it as a change of pace; most high-end tea companies tend to sell lighter Darjeelings but sometimes I like the darker ones. Even though I often prefer the flavor of the lighter teas, I tend to feel better after drinking the darker ones, and this was no exception.

The dry leaf is pleasantly fragrant, typical for a Darjeeling of a darker color. We opened a new tin right when I tried this, and I think it was very fresh when I brewed it.

The cup is quite dark in color and pleasantly aromatic, smelling fresh and herbal but also a bit toasty. Interestingly, for a darker Darjeeling, there's a complete absence of malty or caramel notes, ones that I often encounter more of in second flush teas. Notes of rice and flowers, also a few smoky notes in there, almost like cigarettes. The fragrance reminds me of being a kid and being in a clean airport, a mix of a lot of different smells, mostly good to neutral, but with a note of stale cigarette smoke in the background.

Flavor is fairly middle-of-the-road for a black tea, there's a little bitterness. More astringent than typical. I found the astringency refreshing. The aftertaste is a little bitter, and leaves a note of stale coffee grounds on the palate, something I could do without.

This didn't wow me, but so far it is my favorite tea sold by Wedgwood. The Wedgwood teas tend to be very strong for my tastes, which makes me wonder if they're intended to be drunk with milk (I always drink my tea plain).

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