Murchie's carries so many different tea blends that it takes a long time—years, at a normal tea-drinking pace—to get around to trying most of them. I wish this one had landed on my porch sooner! This may be the richest, smoothest, fullest-bodied all-black tea blend of theirs, or anybody's for that matter, that I've tried. It's composed of Ceylon, Yunnan and Keemun teas, originally made for a Canadian conference of editors, and apparently kept as a permanent product due to its being a huge hit there. I can see why.

Opening the box and getting a whiff of the dry bags was a pleasure. The aroma, which translated in an even thicker way to taste, was deep, full, somewhat creamy, with a distinct vanilla veneer. The taste is likewise creamy, smooth, full-bodied, and reasonably strong, without excess bitterness nor astringency, but with a nicely dark and full consistency of a tea that's both comforting and awakening. I get the sense a more sensitive palate than mine could pick up on all sorts of nuances and undertones with this stuff. To me, however, it's so ideally *balanced*, well-tuned as if a fine orchestral instrument...just a very friendly and rich all-around tea. Interestingly, the wet bag gave off a somewhat faintly buttery, toasty aroma I didn't detect at first in-cup, but now can. That probably contributes to its creamy character, which takes very well to sweetening. Highly recommended!

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