Dry: Well, this one contains my favorite Laoshan Black, so I love the sight of it with those long twisty leaves. It doesn’t contain as much as you might think though for the name- there was more Wuyi oolong in the infuser, along with toasted rice, cacao nibs, and I don’t know what else in the lovely dry leaf concoction. It smells like puffed rice and rich dark tea leaves.
Steeped: Brews into a light-medium brown clear liquor. Smells heavenly with aromas of malty chocolate and toasted rice.
Taste: Delicious! This tea tastes as good as it smells and lives up to its name and reputation. Smooth, rich, malty, dark chocolate blended with warm toast/starch flavors with an almost nutty aftertaste. No bitterness, no astringency, just pure goodness in my morning cup. I drank this straight and I am sure it would be equally delightful with something sweet added to coax the chocolate to the forefront, though it already makes a lovely statement alone. Holds up to a couple re-steeps, but then starts to become watery. I still think I prefer straight Laoshan Black as my first choice, but this is also delicious and will be a reorder for sure.
