Sipdown (2383)!
I feel a little bad that I’m only just now getting to this sample since Kiani sent it out as a replacement for their advent calendar (two years ago???) back when we all opened this day and felt like it didn’t taste smoked at all. They had confirmed it was the wrong tea packaged for the day…
Anyway, I made it as a mug today and I really enjoyed the intense bold body of the black tea. It still didn’t feel like it was all that smoky for what is intended to be a smoked lapsang, but credit where credit is due that it was definitely noticeably more smoky than the tea I had previously tasted under this name. Quite sweet – like, surprisingly so. It reminded me a little bit of the Lapsang Souchong that Camellia Sinensis carries that has such a beautiful note of anise/licorice. Not for everyone, maybe, but I love it. Also a slightly jammy red fruit undertone to this tea.