I've known about this brand of tea for years but only recently got my hands on it, at a local Arab store. The packaging is unusually flimsy, just a single layer of cardboard lining with a foil seal and a plastic lid, but I actually appreciated the lack of plastic wrap as it made for less packaging waste than with other brands, and I have so many tea tins sitting around that I was able to just put this all right into a big tin after opening it. I like that the packing and use-by date are printed clearly on the bottom of the box; this is always a good sign.

The leaf is quite attractive, long and somewhat irregular pieces of broken leaf, very dark in color. It smells only faintly, but it is a fresh, light smell that I find pleasant. There's a complete absence of any malty notes.

Brews up a nice strong cup that was not super aromatic but had a rich, balanced flavor. It's hard to describe the aroma, it's a typical black tea smell, with notes of clean stone, and a minty note in there, perhaps faintly spicy. Overall this tea was more flavor than aroma. I loved the mouthfeel: it was full-bodied without being too astringent. Very satisfying and easy to drink.

Resteeps very well. The second cup was just as good as the first.

This tea exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend it. It is also very cheap. Among popular Arab brands, this tea was similar in character to Alwazah (Swan) tea, more than any of the teas from Ahmad tea, I'd say better in flavor but with less aromatic depth. I pretty much love the teas from all these companies and would recommend any of them. I was happy to add this company to the list of staple everyday black teas in my cupboard.

I also am happy to support anything that will help Saudi Arabia diversify their economy to where it's not solely dependent on oil. This and packaged ma'amoul are pretty much the only thing I've ever purchased to come out of that country other than gas at the pump. However, having been served some amazing food and coffee by Saudis several times in my life, I am aware that the country has a rich tradition of food and drink, and I am glad to see aspects of that culture finally reaching the US in some shape or form.

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