This is a very interesting tea, classified as a black tea, but liquoring up golden and coming across more like an Oolong. It most resembles a first flush Darjeeling, but has a distinctive Nilgiri, or more specifically, a very Kairbetta aroma and flavor. Its racy aroma contains sweet, floral, and spicy elements. It tastes like it smells: strongly floral, spicy and citrus-like. By the way, that spiciness is somewhat similar to cracked coriander seed. The aftertaste lingers, with sweetness, citrus, and a hint of bitterness.
The brewed leaves are small and delicate, indicating a tender top-leaf plucking, and presumably one from the winter season. They're a light olive green stained with light brown. Clearly this tea was carefully made, and from high-quality leaf. It's also quite strong, and can become unpleasantly astringent if over-brewed. For best results, treat this tea like finicky green or astringent Darjeeling, and keep your water temperature well off the boil. At 180 degrees Fahrenheit, you can re-steep the leaves several times and get an attractively light, sweet, and pungent cup.
This is an intense tea that demands your attention, but that intensity may make it less successful as an everyday tea. It should appeal to those looking for a bold Nilgiri analog to first-flush Darjeeling. Strand is offering this high-grade stuff for the surprisingly low price of 4 oz. for $8.95.
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