This is definitely my favorite tea I've ever ordered from Yunnan Sourcing, and one of the most exceptional teas I've ever tried. And this is coming from someone who usually is not a huge fan of the super-golden bud-heavy teas like this.

Opening the bag, there's an ethereal fragrance of flowers and sweet, bready malt, with hints of spice. The smell of the dry leaf is extremely potent, and it holds its fragrance. I've been drinking this for a while and am close to the end of the bag and every time I open it up it's just as strong as the first time!

But the most thing about this brew is that the fragrance not only comes through strongly in the cup, but it develops further. This has one of the most aromatic cups of any tea I have brewed. Still intensely floral, and there's a sort of "rye and caraway" maltiness to it that I just love. There are also some vegetal notes. Yunnan Sourcing describes it as fruity but I don't get that as much, but I still love it.

The flavor is bold and balanced, and this tea has the depth to back up the aroma and make it satisfying. There is a moderate bitterness, split between a slight up-front bitterness and a separate one that is slightly stronger and comes later in the sip. Very full-bodied.

I found this tea very flexible and versatile. It's warming, but I find I enjoy it on hot days too. If you brew it more mildly, you can appreciate the fine floral notes while drinking a light-bodied cup. But you can also brew it more strongly and get a robust cup that the power and strength of a good breakfast tea yet while being smoother and with a more refined aroma. It resteeps very well, easily making 3 mild cups or 2 very strong cups using just a teaspoon of leaf and shorter or longer steeps, respectively.

I like how I feel after drinking this too. I can brew it very strongly without getting jittery; it's very relaxing and one of the best teas I've found for promoting a calm alertness.

I can't get enough of this. Interestingly, when I've shared it, opinions on it are somewhat divided. Some people go crazy for it the way I do, but other people have told me that it's not as satisfying because it's a bit too light and smooth. I don't care though; I'm still giving it an 100!

The price is outstanding too...100 grams for only $8.50? It's really hard to find a tea of this quality and level of uniqueness in this price range.

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