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Dry: Long twisty leaves and buds that are a high percentage golden-orange. This tea is so large that it came in a bigger bag than my others and is a bit challenging to measure, but the quality is there. Also, the dry leaf smells fantastic- rich, sweet, and malty with a touch of spice. Like roasting sweet potatoes blended with a touch of cedarwood.

Steeped: Golden brown clear liquor. The first time I brewed this I didn’t review it because I think I underleafed with the size of the leaves. If your liquor looks too watery or if this tastes pale (for lack of a better description), try again before deciding if you like it. This time I was more careful and the liquor looked more like what I would expect from Verdant. Smells rich and and woodsy with that lingering roasted sweet potato fragrance.

Taste: This is a lovely straight black and is lighter and more complex than some of Verdant’s others. It is not meant to be slurped down in a rush or it can’t really be appreciated. Velvety on the tongue, there are still strong roasted sweet potato notes initially with hints of rich spices that mellow out in subsequent steeps. There is the vaguest hint of cocao and perhaps a touch of honey as well. Savory and sweet, no wonder this makes a nice base for other blends. I still think my very favorite is Laoshan Black, but Zhu Rong and Yu Lu Yan Cha both make me happy, too. :)