Lapsang Souchong
What is Lapsang Souchong
Lapsang Souchong, considered the granddaddy of black teas, originates from Tongmu Village, Wuyishan City, Fujian Province. Its name means "from the saplings of Tongmu Village and the surrounding area at the same altitude," indicating its authentic origin in Tongmu Village. This unique tea is renowned for its signature smoky aroma—the result of centuries of refined traditional pinewood smoking techniques, making it a hallmark of the finest Chinese teas.
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History
During a time of turmoil in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, soldiers passing through the Wuyishan area used freshly picked tea leaves as bedding. This disrupted the normal tea processing methods. After the troops left, the tea producers had to quickly dry the tea leaves to avoid spoilage. They used locally abundant pinewood to smoke and dry the leaves over a fire.
Surprisingly, the tea developed a distinctive smoky pine aroma — completely different from tea made using standard methods at the time. At first, people thought it was a failed batch of tea.
Afterward, despite the tea’s unusual smoky flavor, it was shipped and sold to Dutch merchants, who brought it to Europe. It quickly became a sensation—first in the British royal court, then across the continent—and helped popularize the tradition of “afternoon tea,” which remains beloved to this day.
Thus, Lapsang Souchong became a symbol of Chinese black tea in European history and grew into a globally celebrated fine tea.
Natural Environment
The original producing area of Lapsang Souchong is Tongmu Village, Wuyishan City, Fujian Province. The tea gardens are situated at an altitude of 1,200–1,500 meters (3,900–4,900 feet), surrounded by mountains on all sides. The region receives an annual precipitation of over 2,300 mm (90.5 inches) and is perennially shrouded in clouds and mist. Characterized by significant diurnal temperature variations, relatively short sunlight exposure, and a long frost season, the area boasts well-hydrated, fertile, and loose soil with high organic matter content. These conditions are highly conducive to the formation of amino acids in the tea leaves.
Picking and processing
The typical picking period for spring tea is from around April 18 to May 30, with the fresh leaves meeting the standard of one bud with one or two leaves.
For indoor withering, the leaves are laid out on bamboo mats and turned at intervals. This is followed by a period of rolling to break the cell walls and initiate oxidation.
The leaves are then transferred to cloth bags and allowed to oxidize for 5 to 6 hours, with a quick pan-firing to seal the cell walls and halt oxidation. A second rolling is then carried out, followed by 8 to 12 hours of drying in the presence of smoke.
Preparation
Like other black teas, lapsang souchong is typically brewed with water at boiling or a little less than boiling, 95 °C (203 °F). It can be infused once, for 3 to 5 minutes, with 2 to 3 grams (one tablespoon) of loose-leaf tea per 150 millilitres (2⁄3 cup) of water used, or through multiple infusions using 5 grams for 30 seconds to one minute at a time in 110 millilitres of water.
Flavour, aroma and taste
Lapsang Souchong dry leaves are characterized by their thick, robust, tightly knotted, and straight strips, with a dark and lustrous appearance. They exude a distinctive aroma of pine smoke, dried longan, and a toasted fragrance. The tea liquor offers a rich and mellow taste, with pronounced notes of dried longan and honey that linger on the palate. Its fragrance is enduring and highly aromatic, particularly marked by a strong, sweet pine-smoky character and dried longan flavor as its key quality features.
Unlike some other black teas, Lapsang Souchong lacks bitterness and therefore requires no added sugar. It can be brewed strong and is a robust tea that holds up well both with and without milk.