The leaves of this tea are classic and beautiful, dark brown with flecks of green and silver. I steep according to the website, half a teaspoon per cup at 195° for three minutes. The tea's scent has hits of malt, grape, and vinegar.

The tea has a strange, brilliant mineral flavour that's rare for Darjeeling teas. There's a maltiness balanced with fruitiness and a slight acidity. There's a nice aftertaste that lingers with the fruitiness, but overall it's a pretty clean finish and makes for a bright, uplifting cup.

I get a 4-minute second steep that is slightly mellower than the first but still solid. Nothing about this tea is particularly ground-breaking, though the mineral flavour is an unexpected touch. That being said, however, with teas like this, I don't want something that veers too far from the norm. This is classic with a twist, and as an added bit of joy, it's rather affordable. This tea has landed itself firmly on my would-buy list.

— To purchase Happy Earth Tea Marybong Spring, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular tea, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

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