Next! This is one of the few teas from my Upton order that isn’t Assam or Ceylon. I’m generally a big fan of Taiwanese black teas, though I think this will be my first Keemun from there. The leaves are somewhat broken and pitch black in color, and they have a fragile, feathery look about them. Dry scent is slightly earthy with sweet hay notes.
This is a simple but fairly tasty tea. The flavor is somewhat strong with malt, earth, and wood flavors. It doesn’t have the harshness that earthy teas sometimes have. It’s smooth and has no hint of bitterness or astringency (gotta love that about Chinese/Taiwanese blacks). I can’t say that this would be a repurchase for me, but I’ll definitely have no trouble finishing my sample packet. This is an excellent tea for mindlessly sipping while distracted by other things. :)
Flavors: Earth, Malt, Smooth, Wood