Just a lovely tea. The dry leaves are beautiful.
The smell is malty and yeasty. Taste is mildly malty. Definite notes of pecan and cocoa – not sweet chocolate or hot cocoa but cocoa like cocoa powder you bake with. This is one of the only teas I’ve ever had that is described as having chocolate flavor that I 1) actually get a cacao nib taste from and 2) actually like. This is not a chocolate tea, though, so I wouldn’t drink this expecting what you have had in other chocolate teas.
I’d say if you like yunnans you’ll like this one. No doubt at all that this is from Yunnan.
This is one I’ll definitely want to keep around. Sturdy and hefty without being bitter or dry.
UPDATE: 2nd steep was for about 6 minutes and while it was noticeably less malty and flavorful, it was still highly drinkable.
