Dry, this tea has the most interesting smell. Not only the toasty smell, but something fruity and sweet to it as well. It is a green tea that has been roasted, so it’s not your typical green tea, which I like. When steeped, the leaves have a completely different smell. They smell burnt, and not very appetizing at all. But this has little bearing on the liquid itself, which smells a bit smoky. It has the astringency of a mild black tea, along with a very slight sweetness on the back end. There is a lot going on in this tea, and I’m enjoying it immensely.
Second steep: I gotta admit, I was skeptical about steeping for only 15 seconds. The only time I’ve ever steeped for that little amount of time was with Tetley Bold. But this infusion turned out stronger than the first! Less astringent, with more of a woody taste coming out.
Third steep: The leaves smell more like a black tea now. The tea tastes a bit more mellow, but there is still a lot to it. It’s been 5 hours since the first steep and I’m still loving this tea!
I’ve now spent the entire day enjoying this tea, which is absolutely amazing! I would definitely get this again, and recommend it to anyone.