Of all the black teas I've ever sampled, this one surprised me the most on the second steep. The first cup was very good but not particularly remarkable, but the second one, wow, it had an explosion of floral aroma that made it smell almost as if it had been scented with jasmine.

The dry leaf looks long, wiry, and has golden tips. It has an intensely fruity aroma with hints of autumn leaves and a dark, pungent, almost skunky undertone. Very pleasant but slightly exotic, and the smell of the leaf leads me to expect a bit more astringency, based on my past experience sampling teas that smell like this.

Brews up a cup with a medium body and a light kick. The character seems intermediate between what I think of a more "typical Assam" and some of the more artisanal teas I've been sampling from TEAORB recently. The aroma is lightly malty and very fruity with a hint of autumn leaves, there's a slight edge, and the caffeine content seems moderate to slightly high. There's an off note in the aroma that smells a bit like some plastics or rubbers, or a bit like candle wax, but besides that I find this tea very pleasant. The flavor is quite sweet, with a light bitterness and a slight savory quality. A little metallic mid-sip. Finish is sweet, leaving notes of caramel on the palate.

I like how I feel after drinking this; it's very warming and also quite relaxing. I find this tea promotes a relaxed alertness more than most teas; the way I feel is similar to drinking some high-end Japanese green teas.

The second cup was surprisingly different from the first. It's much lighter, and the aroma is much less like a typical Assam. The malty and fruity notes are much diminished, but instead there's a strong floral character...it's perfumey Jasmine-like, reminding me somewhat of black Jasmine teas. The floral character is so pronounced it's almost intoxicating. I really like it, even though it threw me for a loop.

I think the price is good, especially given how exceptional this tea was on the second steep.

Thank you to TEAORB for the sample!

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