Upon opening the bag, I get hit by an intriguing smell. It is not quite like what I would normally expect from DianHong. The most prominent note is the one of the smoke from a fog machine. Behind it, there are scents of tomato vine and malt to be found. Once the leaves are hit with hot water, the aroma changes. Now it is more medicinal. In fact, it reminds me of the smell of some disinfection sprays. The strongest aspects of the smell are more standard though – malt, nuts and cocoa.
Like many Yunnan black teas, this is the Assamica varietal, and the taste profile is somewhat similar to Assam black teas. It is floral, savoury and bitter with a touch of sweetness in the finish. There is also some astringency, although much less than what I would expect in actual Assam teas. I found flavours and aromas resembling lily, lime zest and bread.
After drinking, I get a constrictive feeling in the mouth that’s almost drying, but not really. The mouthfeel of the tea is nothing spectacular, but decent enough to not pose any issues. It’s thinner than what I expected based on the description, but still medium bodied I’d say.
Overall, it’s an interesting and fragrant tea for those who like Assamica and don’t mind their black tea be on the bitter side.
Flavors: Biting, Bitter, Bread, Citrus Zest, Cocoa, Flowers, Malt, Medicinal, Nuts, Smoke, Vegetables
