This tea has a pronounced smoky aroma, the name of the tea already reflects the smell.
Lapsang Souchong literally means: The little tea leaf from the Wuyi Mountains.
Certainly, the Chinese never drink this tea smoked and it is only used for export. There are quite a few grades of Lapsang Souchong. Souchong refers to the fourth and fifth leaves of the tea plant. These leaves have less flavor and aromas and therefore are fine for smoking. Smoking begins while wilting, then again while rolling and oxidizing. This is done in smokehouses consisting of several floors. Downstairs, the fire is stoked with spruce. This is watched closely because the smoke must keep its fresh, sweet fragrance. The tea is spread out on several floors and holes of different sizes are made in the floor to allow different amounts of smoke to pass through. The tea master monitors the whole process. He watches how the fire behaves and how the smoke distributes throughout the different floors.
Smokey Lapsang Souchong is a rich peaty black tea. Its aroma is like sitting by a campfire: smoky and warming.
Fang Ai Hua is a tea picker and says the following about her own work: "In my village, everyone works in tea. I started at eighteen with my parents; I learned the trade from them. Now I know how to pick good leaves and how to make a good Lapsang'.
'My area is a beautiful mountainous landscape and is protected by the government. I am very happy to live in this area of Wuiji. My favorite moment is when we taste the processed tea. We taste every pick and it makes me happy to drink this homemade tea. In our environment, there is no pollution, the air is so fresh, the forest is so green, the sky is so blue and the tea, of course, is so pure. The reason? A great place, makes great tea'!
'My preference is an earthenware teapot to put the Lapsang in. Eating and talking, quietly enjoying the tea. Tea is art and life. With a good cup of Lapsang, you can feel how beautiful life is'.
- Origin: China
- Region: Wuyi Mountains, Fujian
- High: 1400 meters
- Harvest period: Early May
- Cultivar: Xiao Zhong
- Gradation: Premium
- Color: Bronze
- Flavor: Sweet, full-bodied, smoked
- Caffeinated: Yes
- Organic: Yes
Recipe: 13 grams (9 scoops) | 1 liter soft water | 95℃ | 2 minutes
