I decided to try out the 2nd grade this time--the 3rd grade is absolutely the most affordable Pouchong I've tried that is still passable. This cost a lot more--I would say this tea is getting into a pretty expensive range and is competing with some good greener oolongs.

The overall character of this tea is very similar, and the differences are only subtle. The tea is very mild, slightly sweet, and with a mellow honey-like aroma, faint floral tones, and some vegetal tones. Compared to the 3rd grade, there are less of the fishy or seaweedy qualities to the aroma, and in its place, a very faint suggestion of wood. It almost tastes slightly more roasted, which surprises me. Another difference between the two grades that I noticed was that this tea is less astringent, allowing you to brew it more strongly (as much as 2 teaspoons of leaf per cup, and brew 5-8 minutes) in order to obtain a richer flavor--if you attempt that with the 3rd grade it will be considerably more astringent. But this tea is still not without astringency...it has a little edge to it that some might find unpleasant, even if brewed more weakly.

I do think this is a better tea than the third grade...however, it is over TWICE the price, and the differences are very subtle--in my opinion not worth the premium. As such, I would be much more likely to purchase the 3rd grade.

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