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Thanks to Daylon for providing samples of two unsmoked Lapsangs from Trident. Unsmoked Lapsang Souchong is quickly becoming one of my favourite types of hongcha, which is unsurprising given my preference for highly aromatic, not-too-astringent teas. I steeped 6 g of leaf in a 120 ml teapot at 195F for 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds.

The dry aroma is of lemon, lavender, orchid, malt, wood, and soy sauce. The first steep has notes of lemon, orange, lavender, orchid, honey, sweet potato, grain, malt, pastries, minerals, and wood. Lemon zest is more apparent in the second steep, and it has notes of rye bread, tannins, earth, pine, cream, herbs, and raspberry, especially in the aftertaste. Raspberry and cherry are more noticeable in the next couple steeps, along with molasses and a syrupy tropical fruit I’ll call guava. This is balanced by the lavender, florals, herbs, malt, and tannins. The next two steeps have notes of guava and cherry, but mainly emphasize lemon and florals. Steeps seven and eight are still fruity, but more tannins are creeping in and the wood, malt, and minerals are more apparent. The aroma in the empty cup is still lemony and fruity, and the tea has a long, lemony aftertaste. The sweetness continues throughout many, many more steeps, though the tea gradually thins out and has more tannins, earth, wood, and minerals.

This is a less assertive tea than What-Cha’s Tong Mu Lapsang, but I think it’s just as complex and appealing. Perhaps it doesn’t have quite the same variety of fruits as the What-Cha version, but I think it’s perhaps more balanced. That persistent lemon and lavender profile is one I like. I’m glad Daylon sent me so much of this tea to enjoy!