TEA

Lapsang Souchong

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Have you ever been mad at tea? I have. And exactly this one. I enthusiastically bought it as an exotic specimen. When I got home I put it in the cupboard next to the other teas. The next day as I opened the cupboard to pick some tea for breakfast the typical intense smell hit me. This tea scented the whole cupboard through the bag and thus contaminated the other teas. These teas are no longer suitable for review because their aroma is affected by the smoky scent of Lapsang Souchong. Please learn from my mistakes and store Lapsang Souchong in an airtight container. For example, I recommend tin cans with a rubber seal in the lid.

This review is not sponsored

Photos

Tea info

  • Name: Lapsang Souchong
  • Meaning: Rough leaves from high mountains
  • Type: Smoked black tea
  • Cultivar: Xiaozhong
  • Blend: No
  • Form: Loose leaves
  • Price: 5.61 USD/100g
    •

    Origin

  • Place: China, province Fujian
  • Year: 2018
  • Altitude: 1800 m
  • Seller: Oxalis
  • Link: Here
    •

    Brewing

  • Brewing style: Gong Fu
  • Water temperature: 90 °C
  • Amount: 3 g
  • Water: cca 150 ml
  • Infusion time: 20 s
  • Number of infusions: 3
  • Water: filtered
    •

    Sensation

    Eye

    Dry leaf

    		 Ebony brown is dominated by velvet black. The leaves are very thin and wrinkled. The whole mixture consists of about 5 millimeter pieces. Their sizes have very small differences. Rarely can we find small caramel brown twigs.

    Wet leaf

    		 The leaves unwrapped and gained volume. Dark black receded, giving way to a woody brown. The leaves are very soft at sight and shine as if they were glazed. Overall, the surface resembles the surface of an expensive, well-maintained piano.

    Liquor

    		 Very dark brown-black color. Like dark honey or ripe whiskey.

    Nose

    Dry leaf

    		 A very intense scent that hits you right after opening the tea container. The aroma includes smoked cheese, burnt paper and cigarette smoke in the bar. No wonder its big fan was Winston Churchill. Even so, I still find it interesting and pleasant aroma.

    Wet leaf

    		 After pouring, a shrill aroma filled the room. You can smell the burning fresh wet wood, strong cigars and baked gingerbread. Two hours later, when I entered the room where I was making tea, I felt like I was at a campfire in the summer.

    Empty cup

    		 Aroma of licorice and freshly cut coniferous wood. The aroma of blackberry leaves is also significant.

    Mouth

    Texture

    		 Strong and hard texture. unmissably rough.

    Taste

    		 Cigar without filter, dark chocolate, walnuts, dark wood and especially whiskey. In the background we can find grapefruits, fennel, licorice and star anise. The taste is very strong and distinctive.

    Finish

    		 A cumbersome combination of cigarette smoke, cinnamon and oranges in dark chocolate. It goes well with the taste of the liquor.

    Conclusion

    This tea won me over with its eccentricity and courage. Strong taste and aroma that after steeping you will smell the rest of the day. Overall, it's a refreshing change for me. I'm sure I'll comeback to this tea many times. On the other hand, I understand that it will not fit everyone. Even so, it is an excellent tea for a long winter night.

    Rating:

    8.5/10