I was sad and a wee bit jealous that Doulton had already married Upton’s Black Dragon. I am sad no longer: I’ve found my smoky tea to marry! This tea and the Black Dragon could be fraternal twins. (Would this make Doulton my sister-in-law?) The Dragon is mellow in its gentle seduction. This tea is aggressive in its…ravaging? Okay, so it’s like you took the sweet depth of the Dragon and swapped it for blunt smoke. The depth that I was hoping for in GTC’s Lapsang Souchong is here.
The first steep is just divine, but only slightly hints at the sweet undercurrent that I enjoy in most smoky teas. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just different. The second steep (added a minute) seems a bit flatter, but then that wonderful sweet sensation comes through and makes everything okay in my world. I adore the aftertaste of this tea. I find myself taking extended pauses between sips so that I can enjoy the aftertaste. NOM.
This one’s a definite keeper and will be kept next to its Dragon brother in my tea cupboard. I shall drink whichever one matches my mood. TG
