I’ve been holding off on rating this one, because I was actually a little disappointed by it. I haven’t had a lot of Yunnan teas, but Rishi’s China Breakfast and Samovar’s Breakfast blend have apparently spoiled me, because this tastes weak. I mean, it’s a good flavor – I will happily drink it – and it has the earth/pepper/smoke/malt flavor, but it doesn’t have the depth and kick I’ve gotten from those other two. I need to use a heaping teaspoon, maybe even 2 tsp, for 8 oz, and when I’ve tried for a second steep it’s been noticeably weaker. Now, if you prefer your black tea without additives this might be good for you, but I like milk, and this tea struggles to hold its own.
I’m happy to have tried this, it was a fantastic deal on Steepster Select for organic tea, but considering that Rishi’s is also organic (and priced similarly) I’d be more likely to buy there next time.
As this cools, I am getting some really interesting, almost puerh-like, flavors. This is certainly the earthiest black tea I’ve had, and might be a good one to try if you’re wanting to ease into puerh.
