Lapsang Souchong is a black tea from the Fujian province of China, famous for its smoky aroma and flavor. To create this, the finished tea is given some extra drying over a smoking pine fire, imparting a sweet, clean smoky flavor to the tea. Lapsang Souchong sometimes gets a bad rep for being brashly smoky, but really fine examples aren’t like that at all. Our Lapsang Souchong is very approachable: clean and slightly cool smokiness in the aroma, like menthol. Sweet, refreshing smoky flavor, crisp and edgy. Golden-coppery color in the cup; the mark of a Lapsang that hasn’t been smoked to a jerky. Sweet pine flavor, lightly evaporating finish. It’s amazing all the dimensions of ‘smoky’ you can experience in one, very well made cup of fine Lapsang Souchong.
Famously soft-spoken American painter Bob Ross is famous for his quote, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” And throughout the history of the world, this has proven to be the case. Penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic, is one example. Post-its are another. But did you know that Lapsang Souchong, perhaps the world’s oldest black tea, was also created by mistake? While there are several competing theories as to its creation, most involving soldiers, bandits, and a major production backup, one thing we’re sure of, we’re glad it happened.
Black Tea | High caffeine | Steep at 212° for 3-5 minutes.
