I love the color of this tea as I take it out of the bag. The dried leaves are much lighter than what I’d expect for an Assam tea. I know this is because it is entirely made of golden tips (picked that up from the name, ‘cause I’m smart like that!), but still—I was expecting the leaves to be somewhat darker since it is, after all, an Assam!
I brewed 4 grams in 12 ounces of nearly boiling water. I meant to steep the tea for 4 minutes but forgot to set my timer right away, so it ended up being about 4 minutes, 30 seconds. The finished liquor has a tone of straight bourbon—very pretty to look at.
Wow—this tea smells so good! A strong honey aroma, along with a malty tone—not unexpected for an Assam. I also am smelling sweet potatoes in the aroma. I like it!
The flavor is also excellent. There is almost no astringency to the tea at all. The flavors match the aroma—honey, malt, sweet potatoes, with a hint of wet grass in there as well. It’s also not as sweet as I’d expect from an Assam.
Overall, this was a delight to drink! Given the price, though, I don’t think this will be part of my regular tea rotation. I’ll savor the small amount of tea that I have left, enjoying it on days when it is needed to brighten my day a bit.
Flavors: Grass, Honey, Malt, Sweet Potatoes
