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The aroma of this tea what I think when I thing Oolong. After the tea cooled a bit I picked up a nice floral aroma mixed with a slight tobacco The first flavor I get is similar to homemade biscuits with a slight sweetness at the end. The sweetness is similar to agave. This is a great breakfast tea in my mind that would work itself into regular rotation. Now just to convince Steepster to start selling some of these teas

(1st Steep – 2.5 min) This tea has the softer aroma and flavor that you would expect from a Darjeeling. The muscatel flavor mentioned in the description is present but not overpowering. It is more of a slight sweetness followed by a slight woody flavor. It finishes clean and has a slight drying sensation. All in all I would say a great late afternoon tea. However, I could see myself drinking it all day.

(2nd Steep – 3 min) I noticed very little change between the first and second steeping of this tea. Possibly a little less of the drying sensation at the end, but it was minimal.

(3rd Steep – 3.5 min) The third steeping produced more of the cut-wood notes with the sweeter flavors more subtle. However, it is still a great drinking tea that has proved enjoyable all day.

I will probably continue drinking this tea in the afternoon, and probably up the initial steep time to 3 minutes.

My nose is a little congested today so I am not getting much aroma from this tea. That may be why I am missing the earth and smoke that others have described. However, this is one of the best black teas I can remember having. It reminds me of the best elements of a cherry truffle without being overly sweet. For a black tea it has very little astringency so that the flavors of the tea remain smooth and linger. You can easily pickup the slight caramel sweetness and the tart cherry flavors. These flavors are very balanced. A great tea to start the day and paired nicely with the scrambled eggs I had this morning.

This tea has an amazing cut grass aroma from the dry leaves. I didn’t think I would be a fan of this tea when I first tried it. However, as each sip I started to appreciate the layers of flavor. There is the fresh cut grass and nori flavors. I didn’t get the hazelnut finish until the tea had cooler. Finally, there is a slight astringency that that helps finish out the tea so that the flavors are not overwhelming.

I believe I was expecting something more vegetal when I steeped this tea. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the floral aroma and light flavor. There is a buttery mouthfeel and flavor. Excellent tea. I am curious to see how this tea changes over multiple infusions.

One of the first things I noticed when I opened this tea was an aroma similar to pipe tobacco. Some of that aroma is still present in the steeped tea, but not as clear as from the leaves. I am a fan of this tea, and I am usually not big on straight black teas. However, this has a lot of complexity in flavor with the slight tobacco and almost an apricot / stone fruit flavor. Carrying all those other flavors is a solid black tea. Well balanced and worth trying.

If you like coconut and tea then you should try this selection. There is a strong coconut aroma from the leaves and the steeped tea. You get some of that coconut flavor along with the light oolong flavor which is not unpleasant. Where the tea and I begin to disagree is the mouthfeel after swallowing. It is not so heavy to be called oily, but it feels like a coating in my mouth. However, mixed as a cocktail could cut through that and make some amazing drinks. I believe as a standalone tea it is too much for me.

My first thought when I opened the bag was dried apples. Its that concentrated aroma that you smell on dehydrated apples. There is a bit of that apple flavor in a tea. It reminds me of a weak apple cider. It also has a natural sweetness to it which is nice. I like it and think next time I will add some cinnamon to keep the cider thing going.

I am going to be honest I didn’t know what think when I first smelled the steeped tea. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it I couldn’t quite place it. However, the teas is quite tasty. There is a light grassy flavor that pairs well with the natural sweetness in the tea. I am not sure if it is placebo, but as I sit here I can feel a usual caffeine related feeling.

There is something about the roasted rice flavors and the grassy green tea that just make this the perfect breakfast tea on a rainy day. Its almost like a liquid porridge or oatmeal. A sushi place where I live serves a genmaicha that has been dusted in matcha which I think makes an excellent addition to any genmaicha. I have been adding about one scoop to this tea when steeping.