My Overall Impression (Score of 83.0%)

This has to be one of the best values in tea that I’ve reviewed.  First of all, this is a simple tea.  There are no bones about it, what you get is what you get.  That’s one of its positive characteristics and why I really like this.  It’s easy to drink and I’ll be using it for Iced Tea in the summer. 

As much as I love trying different teas with great flavor profiles and nuances, every now and then, I look for something easy to drink.  This is it. It has a great mouthfeel, and a flavor profile that can stand up to meats and wild game.  I brewed a second cup to check its quality and it was still amazing.  Now I’m going to the third cup, and it shows the same.

The price as of 5/9/23 is $11.50 for 100 grams.

Broken down:

• 100 gm / 3 gm for steeping = 33 cups
• 33 cups from package = app 34.8 cents per cup

Typically, I double steep all my teas (use the tea twice) so I can get 66 cups or approximately 17.4 cents per cup.  Incredible value with great characteristics.  I would honestly drink this with a cheeseburger and be happy with the pairing.

Aromas

• Opening the package, it shows high dusty malt tones with earthy/soil components. This is followed by hints of straw/hay, toffee, and white pepper.
• In the cup, it shows almost equal malt/leather aromas with hints of toast, toffee, tar, and musty leaves.
• It’s not intense and overall consistent across the profile. You can almost describe it as flat on the bell curve (not a bad element – it’s just what it shows).

Flavors

• This is a simple, easy to drink tea that’s off dry with some acidity. It’s almost full body but drinks exceptionally well.
• It shows moderate malt tones with plain toast and hints of caramel. My brain keeps thinking about dried meats (similar to a plain jerky).
• I love the dusty mouthfeel and structure.
• There’s a touch of bitterness on the back end (that’s not unpleasant). It just adds to the structure to give it dimension.

Scores

• Aromas (4.0/5)
• Flavors (8.1/10)
• Overall impression (4.5/5)
  • Total score = 83.0 percent (16.6/20)

Foods to Pair and Why

• Slow Braised pork (not spicy) that pairs well with the flavor, mouthfeel, sweetness, and acid levels.
• A Cheeseburger pairs well with flavors, mouthfeel and sweetness and aromas.
• A grilled rib-eye with sauteed mushrooms pairs with the mouthfeel, flavor, aromas sweetness.
• Wild game jerky or charcuterie that pairs with the mouthfeel, flavors, aromas, and sweetness levels
• Smoked ham breakfast quiche to pair with the aromas, mouthfeel, acid, and flavors.
• Dark meat (Leg / Thigh) fried chicken (Thomas Keller Style) that pairs well with the flavors, mouthfeel, acid, and sweetness levels.