This tea had a sublime combination of smoothness and depth characteristic of top-quality teas. The flavor was exceptional but the aroma a little weak and less interesting. Thank you to Simpson & Vail for the sample!

Very curly-looking leaf, beautiful, with a very large portion of orange tips (more than in the company's photo!) Not very aromatic though; pleasing but faint aroma of spice, dried fruit, and malt.

The brewed cup is subtle, with a mild flavor and an aroma mostly of malt, with fruity and spicy notes. The finish is slightly peppery, which I found very pleasant. If brewed strongly there is a hint of wintergreen in the aroma.

The resteep was very flavorful and full-bodied, but aromatically weak. I found the first cup very enjoyable, the sort of cup I wanted to pay attention to and drink mindfully, whereas the second was more like a pleasant tea that vanished into the background, the sort to drink while focusing on something else. I preferred a shorter first steep (2ish) min, but this tea was easy to brew and tasted good each time I brewed it. Second cup is surprisingly sweet, even without any sweetener.

Very pricey, at $30 for 4 ounces, or nearly $8 for one ounce. Is it worth the price? While I thought this tea was excellent, it wasn't exceptional and there are other teas I have enjoyed more, both from S&V and other companies, at lower price points.

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