I had a bad feeling about this, as the dry leaf had no detectable aroma. Does no aroma translate to no flavor? No, it does not!
As i pulled the tea basket from the pot after brewing I caught the wonderful, albeit weaker, scent of black tea. A good sign. The tea itself was a pale root beer color, not the green color I had expected. Another good sign.
The flavor was mild, but complex, with vegetal and floral notes giving way to a soft malt then finally to a soft butteriness.
This tea is definitely not your typical green tea, but yet not a black tea either. It is, however, flavorful and attractive, even to this dedicated black tea drinker.
I used 2 tsp. per 8 oz. cup, at 185F for 3 minutes. I may use more leaf next time, just to see what will happen.
This is a tea I’d recommend.
Gene
