Lapsang Souchong

My 4th tea from The Book of Tea (I haven’t written about the 3rd one yet!). I have had Lapsang Souchong before but none of those previous cups had left a lasting impression. But I guess I will never forget about this tea because it’s very, very smoky. It should really be used in a tea-tasting session to demonstrate the definition of smokiness! When I opened the packet and took out the tea bag, I smelled… bacon. Yeah I really mean it, it’s BACON!

I brewed the tea in a lidded cup. As soon as I lifted the lid, I was greeted by a whiff of campfire smoke – at least that was what I thought. The smokiness was powerful both in the aroma and the liquor. Perhaps because of the association with bacon, this tea tasted kinda savoury to me. It had an unmistakeably salty aftertaste, which I didn’t exactly enjoy but found really interesting.

I won’t order or buy this tea, but I am glad that I had it as it has taken me to another dimension of tea! :)

I really don’t like smokey teas, and i never have, but something possesed me to try this one. Right when the package is opened, the smokey smell attacks your senses. I actually really like how this tea smells, it reminds me of someone bbq-ing outside in their backyard :) The taste can be a bit overwhelming but the after taste is quite delightful! it makes me feel like i just ate some blackened chicken, which made my tummy happy for a little bit until it realized it was being fooled. I think if you’re willing to try a smokey tea try this one first, because other smokey teas wont be as powerful as this one and then you can get a better appreciation for the other ones lol
Something i tried with this tea is using it as a marinade for chicken if you can’t grill it. Brew the tea and bring it down to room temp. Add it to the chicken and what ever other seasoning you’d like and marinade for a day. The chicken absorbed the flavor pretty well! So if you don’t end up liking to drink the tea straight, at least it won’t go to waste :)

One of my new favorites, lapsang souchong. Loose leaf this time, although at one point I did have bagged from Lupicia also so I could take it to work, which made all my coworkers walk around asking if anyone else smelled smoke. That made me giggle all day!
Anyway, a beautiful black tea with that wonderful smoky scent. You can taste the smoke but there’s a note of sweetness there also. I have had this tea with a little sugar before and that tones down the smokiness. Clean tasting, I think mild for a black tea, and I love this for a winter day.

This is what you might call a Man’s Tea. It taste like gunpowder with that deep almost cigar like smokiness. The nose is so deep and it totally reminds me of hunting in the winters of the deep forrest of the East Coast. I absolutely love this tea.

I have to say, when I first set foot inside Lupicia, I was sad. A store like that really makes me worry for tea going the way of coffee. But this isn’t about the store, it’s about the tea.

This lapsang souchong was really enjoyable. When I first discovered this tea at a cafe back home, I immediately fell in love with its highly recognizable aroma. I make this tea on special occasions, for people who I really care about. Partly because it’s really good, partly because it’s pretty expensive.

Upon opening the container, you really get a blast of that smokey scent. I was astounded by how aromatic all Lupicia’s teas were while I was in the store; almost too aromatic, like they were somehow altered. I knew this one would be a good takeaway, because I knew it was supposed to be this strong.

When steeping, I go shorter than a usual steeping, varying from 2-4 minutes. At a shorter time, you really get the essence and stand alone of that smokey scent. It almost feels like drinking a smokey campfire. When kept on a little longer, say 3 or 4 mins, it picks up an earthy flavor as well, a damp woody taste that makes you feel like you’re in the dirt of Fujian. All around, a very enjoyable tea.

Sipdown no. 56 of 2018 (no. 412 total).

I’m disappointed in my recent sipdown count. I think I need to sip down some samples to make myself feel a bit better about it.

On the upside, the last four or so were full sized tins. So there’s that.

This is notable because it’s the third lapsang I’ve sipped down of my full sized tins since project lapsang sipdown began. I haven’t decided which one is up next. I am thinking of trying the Tea Trekker against the Golden Moon to see which I prefer first. I might also throw the Mariage Freres into that mix. Oh what the heck, maybe I’ll pull them all out and taste them against each other.

This one was good. I just don’t need more than one lapsang in my life, or two at the most.

When I was younger, I went to Wuyishan on a school trip, but I was too young to fall in love with this tea & brought home something lighter (Yin guan ying). Now that I am older, with a fiancé who loves anything smokey (he’s a firefighter), he insisted on purchasing this.

To me, it tastes like a really delicious cup of chinese tea with a throaty, smoky taste. I love the strong scent that enhances the flavour, and it has just enough astringency to round it off. I brewed the leaves 6x before it became too light. Unlike regular chinese tea, the flavour doesn’t change much. I have a stuffed up nose today though, so may have been unable to detect the subtle nuances.

Traditionally the first steep is poured away as it is meant to wash the leaves. Perhaps those who find unappealing but have more to finish up could try drinking this from second steep onwards. I believe my grandmother also brews it for only 2 mins. Am going to bring over some of this tea to my grandma for Chinese New Year.

Black tea in a tea cup

Right when I opened the bag, my nose was assaulted by an almost bacon/jerky-like smell, possibly like a cigar. Odd, but seems like it’d be good if you’re in the right mood. I steeped it with milk (hence the 5-minute steep time) as per the instructions on the bag.

I’m actually a little scared to try this because of the intense aroma.

Tastes a little like I’m drinking a cigar. Maybe if I sweeten it… Okay, I added some honey.

And I’m still underwhelmed. It might be good for people who like smoky teas, but this one’s not for me.

The Leaf: all black, twisted and curled, with a mix of loose stems. The scent is very strong and, of course, smokey. The smell is too concentrated and overpowering; it smells like a forest fire.

The Brew: The liquor is surprisingly light-pale golden brown. The aroma is definitively smokey, but the harsh edge from the leaf has been cut and is at a good level of intensity. Still, the smell is a bit off in that it has almost a burnt rubber character to it. The taste is not bad but flat, with just a basic smokiness to it. The mouthfeel is dry and the aftertaste is light and fleeting.

I drink all of my teas cold.