Many, many cups of tea went into the creation, production, and publication of my novel, Realm. And even though I’m a published author now, I’m not so haughty as to not be able to chat with my friends over a cup of tea. After all, the purpose of Tuesday Tea was to stay in touch with followers, to remain approachable and grounded.

Kanchanjangha Noir—the name just sounds exotic and is fun to learn how to pronounce—is my newest acquisition from Ohio Tea Co. I enjoy black tea, and this beauty from Nepal does not disappoint.

A deep inhale of the tea leaves provides one with the heady aroma of mild cherry tobacco and an earthiness that leans toward floral more than grass or soil. One teaspoon of tea steeped for five minutes in eight ounces of water brought to 200° F delivers a vibrant cup of tea that is deep red-gold in color. The fragrance of the brewed tea is softly fruity, and the taste is dried cherry, raisin, and cocoa on the palate.

Kanchanjangha Noir is a zesty tea with extremely low astringency. In fact, I didn’t find it to be acidic or bitter at all. A sip finishes on the dry side, although it didn’t leave my mouth feeling tight, and the tea drinks clean and brisk in that the flavor didn’t linger. As usual, I enjoy it without cream or sugar so I can experience the full flavor of the tea leaves in all their glory. I’m looking forward to trying Kanchanjangha Noir iced this summer.

If you’ve had this lovely tea, let me know in the comments how you drank yours.