Coffee and Irony

I do not like this tea at all. I bought an entire box of it at the co-op nearby and now all I can think of is how I’m going to get rid of it/actually drink it all. I love breakfast tea, and after trying a truly divine black tea called China Black at a nearby coffeeshop, I looking for something at the store that might taste similar. This is described as a “full-bodied Yunnan black tea,” which to me meant it would be strong and richly-flavored. Alas, I didn’t read the Cliffnotes, which is that this tea has a “malty” flavor with “floral” notes. I’ve never liked floral after-notes, or herbal, for that matter, preferring fruity if I must have something.

Even if I did however, what “malty” ended up meaning is this tea is fairly bland but with a bitter aftertaste – not the delicious, rich bitterness of coffee or high-quality tea but the whiny, complaining, left-too-long-in-the-sun bitterness of well, old tea. It’s certainly not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted, but it’s not exactly a pleasant experience drinking it. Avoid.

What other Numi teas have you tried? What’s your favorite black tea?