I always want to call this “the magic earth goddess tea.” Nothing else is like it. This, and it’s cousin the first flush, are in a class all by themselves. The Arbor tea staff describe it as having “forest floor notes.” It’s really true. I feel like I’m worshipping the forest goddess when I drink this tea. I have visions of fairies and elves dancing around the forest floor in celebration, flitting among the trees. This is usually the second tea I drink during the day (the black Kenya being the wake up tea). I can’t quite make myself drink this first thing in the morning, perhaps because it is too special, too sacred, but once my brain is in gear, my thoughts turn towards this tea, particularly on a rainy day. I would say that the complex flavors in this tea sometimes border on being mind altering for me in a wholesome way, particularly if I take the time to be fully mindful of the experience of drinking it, meditating on my sensory experience as I drink it. This is definitely one of my two favorite Arbor teas, and the cost of it is of no consequence whatsoever, considering how unique an special it is, like not other tea I have ever tried. I like just sticking my nose in the canister of unbrewed tea and sniffing it (same for its cousin, the first flush, which smells more, hmm...sprouty, more young and grassy?). When I first started brewing this tea, I did so at the lower temperature (very important!), but I brewed it for 5 whole minutes. This morning, for whatever reason, I thought to experiment with brewing for just 3 minutes instead. What a difference! It was even better than it was before when brewing it at 5 minutes, and I had already thought it was the goddess tea when I was doing that. For me, 3 minutes is perfect. This tea is so unique that one might argue that it should be a controlled substance. Can I give it, say, a rating of 7 leaves?