Lapsang Souchong

First thoughts when I opened the package: Ewww, Bacon flavored tea! Who on earth could possibly enjoy this. The aroma was just overwhelming at first, but I calmed myself down and really dove into the tea. I always say ‘Got to try everything once.’ Now I’m pretty sure the bacon scent is coming from how the smoked it with the pine embers. So I loaded my infusing basket and boiled some water and started the brew. When I first stuck my nose into the basket to get a smell the bacon was still very noticeable. I kept at it though, taking in the aroma for all it was worth and sure enough I began to pick up the pine. Okay, this is getting interesting. The liquor has an orange / bronze appearance. It was very hard to find the courage within to take my first drink of this tea. The whole bacon scent, just WOW! Alright, I take my first sip and I get hit with the shivers up and down my body. The smokiness is setting in now. I keep drinking, swirling the tea around trying to get all the possible flavors it has to offer and you know, it’s really not too bad. I found myself getting past the bacon and really enjoying the smoked pine flavor.
I ended up drinking two cups of this tea, and came out rather taken back by the fact that I actually enjoyed this one. I can’t say that I would buy more of this unusual tea, but I definitely thing everyone should at least try this one at least once.

I absolutely love this tea. It smells smoky and woodsy, like a campfire or fireplace on a cold winter night. The tea flavor is different though: there is a sweetness upfront, which melds into a piney-woodsy flavor. This is definitely a love it or leave it tea.

This was drank hot with no additives.

I’m addicted to this stuff. Luckily my boyfriend was thoughtful and bought me a tin for my birthday :)

For someone who’s been drinking an obscene amount of light-ish teas lately (you bet I’ve been getting the most out of my sugar caramel oolong sample), this was a big smack in the face when I opened up my sampler packet. Holy cow, is that stuff smoky. I’m sitting in my bedroom with my cup, and the atmosphere smells like campfire and singed cedar wood. Surprisingly enough… it’s not so bad.

It smells and tastes like liquid smoke; my eyes are actually tearing a bit as my cup is depleted. But I love the smell of a smoky campfire. (Side note: Ever have toast over a campfire? AMAZING.) As the tea cools it’s less potent, but I kind of fear to go back into the kitchen. My mother may wonder what I’ve been cooking, thanks to the smoky after-smell.

Not something I’ll be running out to buy, but wouldn’t pass it up if offered.

I had to put sugar in the tea, it was smoky to the point of a bit of sour. With two level spoons of sugar it is very good. The sweet and the smoke complement each other.

Sample 13/31
I had barely opened this package, when I was hit with a very smokey odor. Smells almost like bacon without the greasy smell. The tea is very smooth and strong in flavor. Very smokey with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Not something i would drink everyday, but not a bad tea.

I think this is the second worst Lapsang Souchong I have had. It tasted like bad charcoal

The smell is completely amazing. I wonder, is this the lost tea. I had a tea a year ago that smelled like this. I loved it!

So for the taste, I think the lost tea might be a lapsang but not this one. The flavor here is more like the ash then the smoke of a fire. The lost tea tasted more like the smell then this one. I could have brewed too long… I followed the directions and did 5 minutes. Perhaps less would be better. It’s not bad. Just a bit disappointed after the smell that it’s not that flavor I had been expecting.

My samplers are dwindling down. I’ve been avoiding this one since I’ve come to realize i really do not like smoky teas. The tea smells super smoky and I’m really not too excited for this tea.

first sip. ugh. would it hurt to put some milk & sugar in? I just don’t think I could drink this straight. The taste is overwhelmingly smoke. That’s all i’m tasting. Ok wow, this is a /lot/ better with some skim milk and an equal packet. Like extremely better. It’s still quite a bit smoky, but completely drinkable. I’m actually getting some black tea taste now, but still overall it’s a pretty smoky tea and i’m not a fan.

Brewed tea smells intensely of pine resin. The taste is surprisingly mild – reminding me of sage brush with a starchy lima bean quality and a gentle sweetness. A dominant smokey aftertaste lingers for quite a while.