Haven’t had this tea in forever since the husband isn’t a fan of it. But I had a sniff of it the other day and the smokiness appealed to me so I’ve been waiting to have some. Smelling this, it’s probably not a big surprise that I like lapsang souchong because this Keemun is smoky and a little meaty smelling. Taste-wise, however, it is a lot milder and pretty meat-free. I don’t know if I’d say it has an orchid-like flavor to it though. It is sweet but I see it more as a honeyed or nectar-like sweetness. And while it smells smoky and a little bit meaty, it doesn’t taste it.
I think this might have actually benefited from being ignored in my pantry for a while – it seems to have gotten smoother. The husband agrees on the increased smoothness, too, and he no longer hates it – so YAY! I’d have to say I like this one better than Rishi’s now which seems to fight a sometimes overwhelming pine bitterness/rawness. Maybe the Rishi’s just needs to be ignored for a while, too.