This tea was spot-on in terms of style for Irish Breakfast, and one of the better examples of it at that.

The leaf is broken but the pieces of leaf are still recognizable as such, especially after steeping. The dry leaf has a pleasant aroma that suggests a strong, fresh tea. It infuses fairly quickly to produce a potent cup.

The brewed cup is strong and dark, and balanced in flavor, with just the right amount of bitterness. It is flirting with being harsh but I found it still okay to drink without milk. I find it interesting that Sylvia noted that it smells like beets; I wouldn't have noticed that myself, but now that she's said it, I do notice it too. Besides that though, it's typical for an Irish Breakfast: malty and with a typical black tea aroma, a slight toastiness or burned quality but no smokiness. Pleasant and more cooling than warming but balanced in this respect.

Resteeps better than I had expected it to, given the broken nature of the leaf. I was able to get two good steeps out of it but after that the leaves were spent. Price is pretty good, even without considering the fair trade and organic certification. Definitely one of the better Irish Breakfast blends I've tried, as well as one of the better teas sold by Frontier.

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