I was interested to try this tea because I enjoy smoky flavors and it looked to be high quality; not the shredded leaf “smoldering garbage can aroma” kind of Lapsang Souchong commonly sold in the West. I thought it odd though that they call it Golden Monkey, as it’s obviously quite different than the teas that normally go by that name.
The dry leaves are moderately sized, dark, and twisty. The dry aroma is like raisins or dry figs, I’m not really smelling any smoke. Brews a medium orange. Tastes predominantly of fig with hints of pine, toasted rice, dry wood, baking spices, and a very light hint of smokey tobacco the background.
Very nice, mellow tea, and as the description says it tastes like a mix between a black tea and Wuyi oolong. Despite the name there is very little smoke to be found.
Flavors: Cinnamon, Fig, Oak, Pine, Smoke, Toasted Rice
