A remarkably smooth tea able to be brewed super strongly. This tea reminded me of Kenyan teas: it was strong and smooth, and not terribly aromatic, but with some of the qualities I like best in a tea.

This was the lowest grade of the three teas I tried from this company, and it was still surprisingly good. The leaf is lightweight and not very aromatic, with a faint fruity and slightly spicy smell. I found I needed to use more than I was used to to get a satisfying cup.

Visually, the leaf looks a lot like the Bio Assam GFBOP Rembeng, but the two teas tasted completely differently. I liked that one, but I liked this one a lot better.

When I used enough leaf though, I was able to brew the cup quite strongly and it was still very smooth. Flavor is very pleasant: only faintly bitter, a little savory, and a little sweet. I find that brewing more strongly, oddly, brings out the sweetness more than the bitterness. There is little astringency, even if brewed very strongly. Smell is quite light and sweet, with hints of rice, malt, fruit, and flowers. I love the floral qualities of this tea. The flavor is rich but the smell more delicate. Hints of wintergreen in the finish; I love this! This is my favorite quality in a strong black tea.

Resteeps decently too, just as well as the higher-grade Assams. The second cup was slightly weaker in flavor and aroma, but had a pleasant flavor and still had some of the wintergreen notes.

This tea is remarkable in how strongly it can be brewed without getting too bitter or harsh. I once absentmindedly forgot to remove the infuser on the first steep, it could easily have steeped for 10 minutes or more, and it produced a really rich, thick cup that was very pleasant to drink.

I loved how I felt after drinking this tea. It's a great morning pick-me-up, and a good tea for winter: very satisfying if tired or cold.

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