This is another sample from Ost, generously included to further my assam education. As this is a CTC, you will not be surprised to learn that it consists of tiny brown pellets. The smell is quite tannic and it brews up a mahogany color. Everything about this tea is BOLD, including the taste. It’s also a bit bitter, quite tannic, and has a scratchy feel to it on the tongue. I much prefer RiverTea’s Assam Beast of the East, but both a kind of “meh” to me. Ok, but not amazing.