Tasting notes

Connoisseurs Lapsang Souchong. Delicate smokiness compliments fine sweet souchong leaves. Traditionally worked in remote Fujian.

Background

Here I am completely biased. This is an outstanding Lapsang Souchong. Production of this tea takes place in Tong Mu village which is situated on a Biosphere reservation. An area of outstanding natural beauty filled with wild Bamboo groves. Newly plucked tea is withered in wooden huts filled with smoke from Pine wood. The now smoked tea is finished as any Black Tea. But in Tong Mu villagers use an old traditional tea process which is entirely run by hand and all machines are made of wood. This is the last remnants of an almost forgotten tea production. Only, and I mean only, this type of production is capable of producing such a sweet well balanced tea as this.
All leaf used in this tea comes from the famous Fujian tea mountains of Wu Yi Shan.

Perfect preparation

Prepare as any black tea. Use freshly drawn filtered water at boiling temperature. Add two teaspoons of tea to a half litre teapot. Add boiled water immediately to the leaf. Leave to steep for between three and five minutes. This tea is excellent with milk or without. But I strongly recommend drinking without milk to truly understand its subtleties.