This is a nice second flush black tea with quite a bit of personality. It is particularly bold in the first few infusions, with a lot of roasted nut and caramel notes, but dies off fairly rapidly. Despite this, its fruity aftertaste persists through several more infusions. It sort of reminds me of a cheaper Wu Yi oolong, which becomes a little woody in later infusions but has a fruitiness in it aftertaste that stays relatively strong.
It is quite brisk also, but refreshingly so. It worked very well with gong fu brewing. I tried adding a little milk to see what happened, but it only muted all of the flavors to the point of it lacking any distinct personality or flavor. Best drunk straight!
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Dry leaf – peanut, peanut shell, caramel, milk chocolate, floral notes like fruit blossom, sassafras
Smell – heavily roasted nut, dark caramel, tart blackberry
Taste – arrival of roasted nut and brisk black tea blend. Development has lemon notes arrive . Finish is thick with caramel and blackberry coulis notes. Aftertaste has nut and blackberry notes linger, with additional hints of cocoa, chocolate., and floral citrus