Lumbini Sinharaja Wiry Tips FBOPF ExSp Dalu

This one comes from my November Sips By box. I kept forgetting about it! I tend to like Ceylons. Sri Lanka might not be my favorite region, but Ceylon is what I grew up with. It was my standard for black tea for a really long time.

The leaves are very fine and narrow and they smell sweetly promising. There’s a lively fruitlike aroma, sort of like the way ripe persimmons smell when they’ve been on the ground for a few days. Is persimmon tea a thing? It should be.

The color is lovely. A deep reddish amber. And the flavor surprises me. It’s so smooth for how dark it is! There are hefty notes of stonefruit, malt, and a little bit of new leather. I am really impressed by the almost apricot fruitiness. This is such a perfect plain black tea for the fall. It’s energizing and there is not one harsh thing about it. It doesn’t taste like any Ceylon I’ve ever had. This is a winner and I’m so happy I have another sample.