Sample cube 8/18
Admittedly I haven’t had much experience with Darjeelings in the past, so I don’t have much to compare this to. The dry sachet had a very woodsy aroma with a hint of something coffee-like. The tea brews out to a deep red-orange color. First steep was, for some reason, quite bitter in spite of being fragrant. Not just astringent, not one of the other natural flavors in tea that might be mistaken for bitterness, but literally bitter. Second steep, however, was much smoother, with no bitterness, a light muscatel note, a hint of woodsy smokiness, and a crisp, slightly astringent profile that definitely says black tea, but is not as in-your-face as some other English-styled black tea blends can be. I’m rating this based on the second infusion since I may have let the first sit for a little too long.