Lapsang Souchong Smoky Black Tea (Yan Xun Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong)

This is a tasty smoked tea. I get a lot of the notes listed in the description. Smoke, earth, pine, scotch, leather, molasses, ash and tobacco to name a bunch. Or at least there is one note that tastes like any of those things.

I brewed this one time in a 16oz Teavana Glass Perfect Tea Maker/Gravity Steeper with 3 tsp leaf and boiling water for 3 min.

I wanted to try this one while the other Lapsang was still in my memory from a couple days ago. Right away, the scent from the dry black leaves with hints of gold are definitely smoky. Where the Nonpareil Dian Hong Wild Ancient Tree had many characteristics BUT smoke, this one seems to have smoke as the main flavor. This cup is darker than the light amber of the Wild — a much deeper red cup. The smokiness isn’t the strongest smoke flavor I have had in a tea, but it is definitely noticeable. The smoke makes the black tea itself tough for me to figure out but it tastes fine to me. The second steep is just as strong. This is a great option for all you smoky tea fans, at a great price. Not my favorite tea from Teavivre, but that seems to be all of the others. :D
Steep #1 // half a sample pouch for a mug (about 3.5 grams or 2 tsps.) // 10 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute
Harvest: 2014

Brewed with a gongfu glass tea pot.
Steeping parameters: No rinse. 30 seconds, 45, 60, 120

This would be my second Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong, the first being from Wegman’s years ago. From the dry leaf alone I can tell that this one is of much better quality. Short and twisty, unbroken, they mostly are very dark – near black – peppered with a few golden leaves. They smell of burned conifer wood and smoke. The wet leaf aroma, of barbecued spare ribs. A hint of vanilla rises from the liquor.

Reddish in color, clear, and smoothly textured, it tastes much like it smells, and then some, including a pungent yet mellow smoky meat flavor. This tea leaves behind a sweet barbecue sauce aftertaste and a dry throat.

No rating, but recommended since I enjoyed it. I wouldn’t have this kind of tea often, but this is one I would go to if I wanted something different and smoky.

This tea is a complete mouth/nose experience. Unlike other Lapsang Souchongs I’ve had (mostly bagged), the smoke flavor doesn’t overwhelm the smooth, sweet black tea base. Instead, you get the satisfying smokiness from the smell, from the breath out, and from a subtle, lingering aftertaste.

Save this tea for non-cold or -allergy season – you don’t want anything to get in between you and the smell. Also, stay away from scented lotions on your hands when drinking, nothing spoils this experience like fake vanilla/peach/lemon/whatever.

I am disgracefully behind in writing tasting notes. I have many, many wonderful samples from my tea friends, that I really need to get sipping.

This one came my way from dex, don’t even ask how long ago. I don’t remember.

This style of tea I really need to be in the mood for. When I drank it a couple of days ago, it was windy and chilly. The perfect day for a warm comforting tea. Sometimes in this type of tea, the smoke it too much for me, and in those cases I usually use it for my home-made pea soup for a smoky flavour in lieu of bacon. This tea, however, was nicely smoky. I added a splash of maple syrup, recommended by another steepster member, and it made for a delicious sweet smoky cup.

Thanks for the sample, dex!

This is a really nice lapsang! It’s smoky, but not too smoky… and it tastes SUPER GREAT with maple whipped cream.

:)

https://instagram.com/p/00gBKwR5Dt/ (In Dexter’s handmade cup! Thanks so much! :D )

1.5 tsp in 10 oz, 2:45, 195F)

Now that I finally like lapsang, I thought I’d try Teavivre’s version and so I ordered a sample in my last order. I’ve only had lapsang brewed western before, but I love gong fu, so I went for it. This one is much more mild than the other 100% lapsang tea I had. The smoke is smooth and mild and sweet. Very good quality, but I wanted more depth and complexity. I think I’ll have to try this one brewed western to see if a long steep brings out the depth I was seeking. Overall it’s nice, but I wanted something more punchy!

Backlog from last night.

I chose this tea last night to have with dinner – a few slices of meat-lovers pizza with sausage, bacon, and pepperoni.

Good call! The saltiness and smokiness of the pepperoni and bacon really went well with the smokiness of the tea. And I love the fact that the base tea itself is slightly sweet.

I was seriously considering buying some dark chocolate after dinner to have with this tea since I had at least half the pot left, but the convenience store was closed. Too bad. I bet this tea would be GREAT when paired with dark chocolate squares.

This is another of my favourite teas I’ve been drinking lately. The taste is sweet and very smooth with a rich smokey scent. I detect notes of pine resins, roasted peanuts and sweet potatoes. I steeped it three times and it kept its flavour until the last infusion. I use to serve this tea to my friends and everybody appreciate it!

Hooray, first sample to try from cookies’s swap package! I’ve actually never had a straight Lapsang before, I’ve only tried them in Whispering Pines’s blends like S’mores and Campfire Blend. The leaves are somewhat wiry and very dark, almost black. Dry scent is… odd. It doesn’t really smell smoky to me, it almost smells like menthol or eucalyptus and somewhat chemically. We shall see!

Once steeped, it smells much more like what I was expecting. There’s still a bit of that menthol-ish aroma, which I assume is from the pine. I can also smell smoke and some woodiness that reminds me of scotch. I know a lot of people around these parts recommend maple syrup with smoky teas, but unfortunately I don’t have any at the moment. Hmm, I must say, I don’t love it. There’s a lot of wood flavor as well as a touch of earthiness, with just a bit of smoke over the top. I think I would enjoy it a lot more with maple added, I feel like it needs that bit of sweetness to balance it. Nope, this one’s not for me. Withholding rating.