Initial water temperature: 200°F
Leaf-water ratio: 5g:8oz
Steep time: 3 min
Dry aroma: Dried apricots. Cocoa.
Infusion: Almost clear. Mahogany red.
Mouthfeel: Full with a very mild, pleasant astringency
Aroma: Faint hints of fruit compote, oranges, cinnamon, and allspice.
Taste: Mildly sweet. A very tiny bit of savoriness.
Notes: Not a bad tea by any stretch, but not very exciting either. Tastes remarkably similar to this year’s (2012) Charleston, South Carolina First Flush (which isn’t exactly a compliment, this year’s FF was pretty unbalanced) but with a little more complexity and sweetness. If you’re an insatiably curious black tea fanatic, it’s worth a try.