Black Tea- Lapsang SouChong

Other Name: ZhengShanXiaoZhong, 正山小种

Origin: WuYi, FuJian Province

Description: Lapsang souchong is a black tea originally from the WuYi region of the Chinese province of FuJian. It is sometimes referred to as smoked tea. Lapsang souchongs is distinct from all other types of tea because lapsang souchong leaves are traditionally smoke-dried over pinewood fires, taking on a distinctive smoky flavour. The name in Fukienese means “smoky sub-variety.” Lapsang souchong is a member of the WuYi Bohea family of teas. The story goes that the tea was created during the Qing era when the passage of armies delayed the annual drying of the tea leaves in the WuYi hills. Eager to satisfy demand, the tea producers sped up the drying process by having their workers dry the tea leaves over fires made from local pines. Lapsang souchong from the original source is increasingly expensive, as WuYi is a small area and there is increasing interest in this variety of tea.

Taste: High quality of lapsang souchong possesses a taste of dried Longan for the first few brews. Its’ flavour is strong and smoky, similar to the smell of a campfire or of Latakia pipe tobacco.

How to brew: When drunk by itself, black tea is prepared by first cleaning the tea ware, then putting a certain amount of tea leaves into a teapot with a teaspoon, and finally pouring in boiling water at about 90 degrees celsius from a kettle lifted high above the teapot at a proportion of 50 to 60 ml of water to one gram of dried leaves. In order to maintain the original flavor of tea, we suggest you’ d better draw the tea 7-8 times at most.

Harvest Period: Spring, 2010

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