I added a sample of this to my Upton order, because I’m still such a newbie when it comes to varieties of straight black tea. From what I’ve heard about Keemun, this seems like a good example. The aroma is pretty smoky (though it’s a smoother smoke than a strong Lapsang Souchong). The taste is strong and dark, and like others have mentioned, there are leathery and peppery notes. When I first took a sip, I thought, “Ah-ha! So that’s where the flavor in breakfast teas comes from.” I’d noticed the taste in a lot of breakfast blends, but didn’t realize it was Keemun, specifically.
Anyway, I like this! It’s the kind of dark smoky tea I enjoy drinking, especially in cool weather. So far, I think I might prefer Fujian and Yunnan black teas overall , but I would consider reordering this (and/or sampling other Keemun teas in the future).
