Lapsang Souchong – Black Tea

Brew & Taste

After brewing, the tea leaves unfurl into a full, bright, dark-amber infusion. Its smooth, round, full taste with a mild and balanced sweet note is there for you to discover. The usual notes of smoke of the ‘ordinary’ Lapsang Souchong are completely absent – instead, you’ll notice silky, honeyed notes that slowly mix with a slightly herbal, almost woody finish. The impression isn’t harsh nor astringent, instead it pleasantly melts on your palate.
We recommend brewing this tea with boiled water cooled down to a temperature from 90 to 95°C and steeping it for 2-3 minutes. You can brew it repeatedly – the first infusion is more honeyed and sweet while subsequent ones push forward its woody and mineral notes, typical for teas from Wuyi.

Origins

Lapsang Souchong, also known as Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong, is a true legend among black teas. It originates from Fujian Province, specifically the Wuyi Mountains and the mountainous area around the village of Tongmu. According to tea masters, this is where the world's first black tea was created. There was no special plan behind it, just a need to preserve fresh tea leaves for a longer period of time. What was originally a makeshift solution gradually became a specialty that gained popularity in China and beyond.
The Wuyi Mountains are famous for their steep rock faces, misty valleys, and rich biodiversity. The frequent fog acts as a natural filter for sunlight, so the tea plants grow slowly and concentrate more flavor and aroma into each leaf. The plantations where this tea comes from are located at an altitude of approximately 850 meters. The higher altitude, mountain air, and pure spring water combine to create an environment that produces teas with exceptional depth and delicacy.
The Wuyi region itself has a thousand-year history of tea cultivation and processing. To this day, it’s home to a number of small family farms where knowledge of tea production is passed down from generation to generation. Harvesting is mainly done by hand so as not to damage the young shoots, and every step – from withering to fermentation to drying – is carefully monitored by experienced masters. This is one of the reasons why the leaves of this Lapsang Souchong have their typical dark brown to black color and distinctive yet refined character.
Classic Lapsang Souchong is best known for its smoky flavor, which comes from drying the leaves over coniferous wood smoke. However, the masters of this tea deliberately skipped the smoking phase to let the ""base"" shine through, i.e., the original, natural character of Lapsang Souchong. This beautifully showcases what makes teas from Tongmu and the Wuyi Mountains so special: a full body, smooth texture, honey aroma, and delicate herbal tones that reflect the purity of the mountain landscape and the long tradition of local tea craftsmanship.

Tea packaging preview

We pack our teas in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. This container protects the quality of the tea against humidity, light or foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew.