Dried leaf mostly dark, twisted and wiry with some lighter brown leaves and a few golden tips, highly aromatic, smell of spice (hints of rosemary), raisin and a hint of smoke and leather.
The brewed tea smells of spice, leather, hint of smoke, sour fruit like and unripe plum crossed with green mango. On the tongue the light smoke and leather joined with the sweet/sour unripe stone fruit flavours and was followed by smoke/charcoal taste with citrus/malt tones and a faintly floral. It was mildly astringent and highly tannic. If oversteeped and leafed it tastes bitter, woody, slightly smoky with notes of espresso, a hint of leather, savoury spice, and of sweet and sour fruity notes layered on top of bitter notes. The fruity notes open up to freshening feeling at top of mouth. Astringency increases with steep time. There is a faint floral notes in the
aftertaste.
An interesting but not overwhelming flavour.
