Unusual and different, even among green teas from the Himalayan region. This tea does not have any immediate bite, unlike most Chinese and Japanese greens of a similar overall strength. I think "dry" is a very good term to describe this tea, not just the finish but the whole experience of drinking it...it's somewhat subdued.

The aroma really develops in your mouth though, upon drinking it, even though little is evident from smelling the cup or dry leaf. The aroma is vegetal, like Darjeeling greens I've tried, with a strong suggestion of celery, a hint of peppermint and dried seaweed, and much less of the cooked vegetable quality that, from my experience, characterizes most Darjeeling greens and oolongs. Only a hint of floral tones.

Flavor is subdued, little bitterness or sweetness, very slightly sour, and a mild but noticeable savory (umami) presence.

This tea works for multiple infusions. After the first infusion, most of the interesting aroma was gone--mostly the celery was left. The second cup had a similar flavor though, and was just as full-bodied.

I also experimented with different brewing temperatures. A higher temperature brings out bitterness, which I like, but it results in an "overcooked vegetable" aroma that I found unpleasant, as well as an unpleasant sourness. I recommend going with a low temperature as you would for green tea.

If I had more tea to experiment with, I would like to try icing this one...I suspect this would make an excellent iced tea.

This tea is very interesting and different from anything else that I've tried--I'd certainly recommend it as worth trying. I very much like the aroma but wish that it had more kick. Is it worth the price? I'm not sure on this one. I like the idea of paying for sustainable farming operations...I don't like the idea of paying for packaging, and this tea seems to combine both.

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