A few years ago I went to Australia with a friend of mine.
We were on the plane and they had brought us some bread, butter and Vegemite. My friend obviously hadn’t had it before, and started to spread it directly on the bread in much the same manner and thickness that you would with peanut butter, or jam. Being a good friend, I of course said absolutely nothing.
The reason I bring this up now is I imagine my face did exactly what his did when tasting this tea for the first time. I was expecting smokey, and got a mouthful of campfire.
I’ll try it again soon with a shortened brew time, and perhaps after rinsing the leaves first. I enjoy smokey, just evidently not enough.