This tea does not at all resemble what is normally known as green tea; it is darker even than many first-flush Darjeelings.

If you haven't ever tried any green or white tea from Darjeeling, Nepal, or surrounding areas, this tea will probably strike you as very unusual, but if you're familiar with these teas, it's actually similar to a lot of others I've tried.

Brewing 3 minutes with water somewhere under 180 F, the cup is dark golden as described, relatively thin-bodied. Mildly vegetal aroma (significantly less so than other greens from this region), some spiciness and herbaceous tones to the aroma as well. I can sense the nutty qualities in the commercial description, but not as much of the suggested muscatel qualities. Flavor is mostly savory with a bit of sourness; low in bitterness and astringency.

Be careful with the brewing temperature; this tea acquires an "off" aroma (like overcooked vegetables) if brewed with water that is too hot. 180F was pushing it; you might want to go lower. I was only able to make one infusion satisfactorily; I tried making a second several times, and even if you use a short (1 minute) first infusion, the second cup comes out too thin for me, and most of the more interesting tones in the aroma are gone.

Bottom line? This is a good tea, interesting, and reasonably priced. People who like the savory (umami) flavor in teas might like this one as it has a strong savory quality, and yet is completely unlike other greens (such as gyokuro) that also are rich in this flavor. Still, I prefer black teas (including first flush) to a darker green like this..

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