Elephant Origins

From the Samurai TTB
I debated on wether to brew half of this little pouch, but since there wasn’t a way to reseal it, and I do like a strong cup, I dumped the 2 tsp into a 10 oz mug for a first steep. The wet leaf smells like tobacco, and there is a smokiness to this cup. It reminds me a bit of the Colombian tea I got from Upton, only smoother. There is a pleasant astringency to the tobacco/smoky notes and it certainly is different from any Assam I’ve tasted. As the first steep cools, I am getting a slight malty, sweet note.
The second steep is a bit disappointing as it’s just a weaker version of the first steep and the malty note has vanished.
On the whole a nice cup of tea and thanks to whomever added it to the box.