This Napali tea is a complex tea. It’s a first flush which means the leaf was picked early in the season. The leaf is whole and large but being a 1st flush large means young new leaf which isn’t huge. Usually first flush teas tend to be on the greenish color side of the spectrum. This however is a mostly dark brown/black color with a hint of dark green mixed in. The leaf has a kinky twist and some occasional tip colored leaf thrown in.
The brew is a golden color. The aroma has a vegetal quality to it, which makes sense given its flush. After my 2.5 min steep the leaves had uncurled and were a greenish brown color. You could then see the wholeness of the leaf.
The flavor is similar to a darjeeling but is complex in nature, with notes of fruit and nut and some muscatel. It’s from a high elevation growing area so has smooth character. It’s a great change of pace and I enjoy this tea. I most likely will re-order when I run out. Another great tea from TeaSource!
