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Amber honey color with edges of grayish green and sweet floral aromas come off the brewed tea. I allowed the temperature to drop after steeping to allow it to open up with honey aromas accompanying the floral and classic muscatel notes. Surprisingly sweet for a 1st Flush with flavors of roasted fall squash, mild nuttiness and honey that lingers for a long time reminding me a bit more of Spring Yunnan than Darjeeling. The acidity is balanced with the sweetness, however it could use a little more astringency… I like a little youthful brisk punch from Darjeeling 1st flushes and this drinks very soft (this is personal taste and not at all a flaw with the tea).
There are far better Darjeeling 1st Flushes (especially for the price) out there, but this yielded a very enjoyable cup. The most interesting part was the aromas coming off of the brewed leaves… hints of toasted cumin, refined sugar and flower pedals. Unfortunately these aromas did not translate well into the liquor. A second steep was possible – I let it go for 4:45 to try to coax out some astringency… nothing. This is a clever tea, but maybe not clever enough to open my wallet again.