Got a sample of this one in a package from SimplyJenW… yay for continuing my black tea education! I’ve had one other Golden Monkey before, and that was Harney’s. That one I first tried way back when I really wasn’t into unflavored black teas at all, but I liked it pretty well (but not enough to seek out others).
The dry tea for this smells malty and hay-ish. When I smelled this and the Harney version back to back, this one smelled brighter and the Harney one smelled more caramelly. When steeped, this tea has a nice depth to the aroma. It smells honeyed and yes, a bit like dried apples. Also some toasty grains, a bit. Other people have said “tart apples” in tasting notes for this one, and I think I get that… it’s definitely kind of fruity as well as a bit alfalfa-y. There are some light chocolatey notes there, but they’re definitely not the main event. All in all I really enjoy the flavor of this one… except the fact that there is a layer of bitterness over everything. I’m very sensative to bitterness in black teas and this one is oversteeped to my tastes. I definitely need to drop my water temp a smidge next time and see how it goes.
