The dried tea smells like malt, or a little bit like feed mix you get for horses, which brings back old memories. The tea has short slightly flattened leaves liberally scattered with saffron yellow golden tips.
The tea brews to a deep orange red after 3.5min.
With malt, citrus, hint of molasses, red fruits, and currant scents.
The first sip brings out bitter cocoa and malt notes mixed with molasses, overlain by a sweet top note that references both fresh and dried stone fruit (plum and cherry) and honey. There is a light floral note. This is a malty, fruity assam. The tea has a thick syrupy body with nice level of caffeine. It is very smooth, and a little tannic, but with no noticeable astringency. Aftertaste reminds me of molasses cookies eaten with a slightly sharp berry juice. A very nice start to the day.
Thanks Capital Tea Ltd for the generous sample!
1 heaping tsp /225 ml/3.5 min.