Lapsang Souchong Wild Black Tea (Ye Sheng Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong)

I got a sample of this somewhere and the other day it came up in my attempt to drink down my non-puerh stash. After looking at the leaves, I decided I would western this instead of trying to gongfu it. I used about 3.5g in my 12oz kysusu with water at 200F. It had some nice chocolatey notes, maybe a bit of maltiness, and was totally bomb-proof. I oversteeped brutally almost every time, because I’m easily distracted. After getting around 3 or 4 steeps, I just decided I’d toss the other half of the sample in there with the spent leaves and do a second session that way. Still wasn’t bitter or astringent or anything. A good one to drink if you’re distracted for sure. Pretty tasty, and I’m glad it wasn’t a smoked Lapsang.

Thanks to my tea friend for the sample!

This reminded me of the unsmoked jin jun mei from Yunnan Sourcing. There’s a light, natural smokiness that isn’t at all overwhelming like a smoked lapsang. It’s sweet, with a bit of cocoa on the finish. There’s a pretty strong molasses flavor in the middle of the palette, which I think is what reminds me of the jjm.

Lasts a good 3 steeps western, so not bad! Lovely warming black tea with a thick, sweet, sappy mouthfeel.

Sample from tea swap

I’m particular when drinking black tea; however I tend to be very open to trying anything once, twice, thrice, or more, until I am able to come to the conclusion on whether liking or disliking a tea. This tea, on the other hand, is astounding. I mentioned to the wife that there are teas that could allow one to totally give up on bread—and here is one of those teas! I’ve recently discovered that, while drinking teas such as this, you kind of give yourself the notion that “This is bread, therefore, I do not need bread otherwise—” which may compel one to forfeit bread altogether, and solely drink bread-like teas.

The color of the dry leaf is nicely dark; the aroma has cocoa notes with a touch of yeast. The wet leaf, as it progresses, changes into a fine hue of scarlet; while the color of the liquor remains that color of scarlet throughout the session.

The body of the liquor is thick, coating the mouth/throat with a layer of solidity, almost—(dare I say it) like bread? I’ve yet to meet a tea where I’ve become “full” similar, but nothing like, drinking too much beer in a sitting or two, thus becoming full (that is until you’ve gone to relieve yourself).

Overall, this was a nice tea to have early in the morning. Fortunately, I’ve had it before I can no longer have a sense of smell due to the oncoming cold stuffing my sinuses with the unwanted “junk” it brings with it.

https://www.instagram.com/s.g_sanders1/

Side Note: Floral notes (roses?) after the 6th steep. I was unable to detect it, but the wife mentioned it.

Thank you, Angel, for the sample!

Brewed in a ceramic gaiwan, prepared in a gongfu session. No rinse. Steeping times: 15 seconds, 8, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60, 120, 300.

The dry leaf smells mostly of honey with a little bit of malt. After resting in the heated gaiwan bowl, the leaf smells pleasantly of light smoke and caramel. The wet leaf aroma is very different: chocolate and honey are dominant notes, and there is a hint of malt.

The liquor color is a beautiful burned orange. Just lovely in a white fine porcelain cup. Very clear and very clean.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFwLVLmQNgH/

As expected, this Lapsang Souchong has a full body and flavors which fill the mouth. Unexpectedly, it barely has any smoke – it’s very sweet. The session begins with the first infusion being chocolately, slightly malty, and smooth. There is a dominant smoke in the second infusion, but it disappears completely afterward. Third infusion and onward, the liquor is smoother and sweeter, having notes of chocolate and molasses and honey. The aftertaste lingers for minutes. There is absolutely no malt – a first for me with a chocolate-like hongcha.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFwLJUkwNvs/

Positively delightful. I enjoyed every drop and every aspect of this tea. Very glad to have this on a beautiful day off from work!

Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong is one of my favorite black teas. This one, while a little unusual, is really good.
A little lighter than what I’m used to, not as dark, not as rich but still has a really nice mouth feel. The malt and chocolate notes are present, there is definitely a starchy sweet potato thing happening but there is also some fruit – plum maybe. It’s really fruity for a ZSXZ.
This has made me very happy today. :)

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this before. Is Steepster eating tasting notes again?

My husband bought me these adorable cups with a fish molded in the bottom from an eBay seller and they sent a sample pack of a Lapsang. It was the unsmoked type, and it was super delicious. I realized I had bought some from Teavivre and had not been drinking it as much as I ought so I made a pot this morning.

There are strong notes of chocolate – not cocoa, milk chocolate. The taste is reminiscent of Da Hong Pao. Although not astringent, I do not find it to be a terribly “wet” tea. But it isn’t drying and puckering my mouth.

And remember how hubby used to drink all black tea with lots of milk and sugar, and started only drinking green and white and puerh because he likes them plain and wants to be healthier? He drank this one plain! He had a cup at breakfast with me and I suggested that since it was so mild he might like it just as it was, and he did like it!

I have known for a long time that Souchong means the larger leaves about five leaves in on a branch, not those cherished two leaves and a bud that we so often crave. So I assumed that Lapsang meant smoked, and wondered how we could have Lapsang tea that had no smoke at all. I looked it up and found that Lapsang is an English equivalence for a place name, not for a method of production. Lapsang is so commonly smoked that most people associate it irrevocably with smoked tea.

But both of these that I just tried, the sample and the Teavivre one, were excellent and not smokey at all. So the Souchong leaves are not as inferior as one might think if it brews something this good.

I received my Teavire BF teas yesterday. I was sad to see that the samples I picked out were not included:( Did anyone else have any trouble with the checkout and samples? I was really looking forward to trying the strawberry oolong and I think my browser must have messed up the submission.

YES!!!!! This is exactly what I was hoping for. I ran myself out of Fugian Black tea from WP and I loved it. I did a ton of looking around to learn what varietal of tea FB was actually made of only to learn that this years crop of that varietal sucked due to weather related things. Anyway, I stumbled up on this tea on Teavire’s site and although it was still harvested in 2015 I thought well what the heck since it came in sample sizes.

This morning this is a little light, hopefully some more leaves will fix that, but the flavor is there. That deep coaco sweet flavor that I LOVE. This is my version of hot chocolate. I am so glad I ordered some of this!

Today is the first cool, rainy fall day we’ve had this season. This tea was perfectly warm for the occasion – warm in temperature, but also warm in flavor. A malty, comforting cup.

This tea is very tasty. It is somewhat malty and has notes of chocolate to it. Adding a little sugar has really made the chocolate notes pop. I think I am getting plum notes too. It should be noted that this is not the smoky Lapsang. I will try that another day.

Brewed this one time in a 16oz Teavana Glass Perfect Tea Maker/Gravity Steeper with 3 tsp leaf and 190 degree water for approx 3 min.

I saw ‘wild’ and thought this might be like the other tea Teavivre has available: the Nonpareil Yunnan Dian Hong Ancient Wild Tree Black that has a very unique flavor and profile. This tea IS like that tea! It has the same type of flavor: lighter, smooth, honey, a little like plums, most importantly with that tangy quality I don’t find with many other teas (mostly just the Nonpareil YDH Ancient Wild Tree). Most people associate Lapsang Souchong with smoke but this one is not smoky at ALL. I’ve had a couple “Zheng” teas and this is the flavor I associate with those, though hard to describe. This one also might remind me of a lighter flavored Bailin Gongfu. The dry leaves are medium sized, twisty and dusty black. The dry leaves have a fragrance exactly like the flavor. The color of the mug is a light amber, like the maple syrup it tastes like. Caramel, honey. Give this one a try if you’re a fan of the other Wild or lighter black teas. Do not hesitate if you aren’t a fan of smoky teas! I will try this one again with more leaves and/or a hotter temperature. This one is very good but I think I can make it better with proper steeping (closer to the parameters that Teavivre suggests). I like the other Wild better though, as it’s one of the most unique teas I’ve ever tried.
Steep #1 // half a sample pouch for a mug (so about 3.5 grams or about two teaspoons) // 15 minute after boiling // 2-3 minute steep
Steep #2 // few minutes after boiling // 2-3 minute steep
Harvest: 2015