Lapsang Souchong

I had never had lapsang souchong tea before and was not sure what to expect. It is extremely smoky and tastes like a campfire, or if you stirred a bunch of charcoal into a glass of warm water. If that's what you are looking for or what you'd expect, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this tea.

I went to London in October of 2017 and experienced a lovely “tea” at Fortnum & Mason. I bought a Smoky Earl Grey, which included Earl Grey, Lapsang Soochong, and Gunpowder tea. I returned home and used this tea until it ran out, whereupon I started to make my own. I really enjoy the smoky taste of Lapsang Soochong with heavy cream.

This tea is Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength in a tea. Unapologetically smoky with the bbq smoke filling up the room but the base tea is quite mellow and smooth. I am looking for a lapsang that is more on the campfire note like Lagavulin 16yrs so the search continues.

There's a mild pleasant smokiness to this cup. While some lapsangs can be forceful, this one has somewhat understated smoky characteristics and almost no bitterness. The aroma is excellent.

A friend shared a sample of this tea with me and I couldn’t have been more happy! The smokiness gives this Lapsang Souchong variation the perfect edge without going too far. The underlying tea is mellow and flavorful - a perfect cup any time of the day. I quickly ordered a tin, and came right back to order a packet to fill it up again.