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I’ve been wanting to try a Lapsang Souchong for a while now and now I’m finally doing it. The leaf smells like liquid smoke and makes me think of bacon. It doesn’t really smell like something that could make pleasant tea, but I did end up enjoying it. I brewed for roughly 3 minutes rather than the packaging-recommended 4-5 because I was worried that the taste may get too overpowering, but it is not overly strong at all. The flavors I smelled on the leaf are still there, but much more subdued and quite pleasant. The smokiness has an almost sweet aspect to it that makes me eager to go steep another cup.

I’m fairly new to Darjeeling blacks. I’ve only tried one 2nd flush so far and this is my first time with 1st flush. From some reading I’ve heard 1st flushes described as almost like green teas and this certainly matches that description.

The wet leaves mostly have a grassy green color, with some more golden brown leaves scattered throughout. The liquor also looks more like the yellowish hue of a green than a black.

The taste is lighter than 1st flush. It still has similar spicy and malty characteristics, but those are more muted and there is some sweetness as well. Overall less flavorful than 2nd flush, and I can see why it isn’t valued as highly, but still an enjoyable tea.

I’ve been drinking this every night after dinner for the past week or so. It isn’t my favorite tea, but it works well as an after dinner drink. It has a bright woody taste with a bit of sweetness that is strong enough to not be covered up by any food you may have recently eaten, and it’s much easier on the stomach than some of my other Den’s teas. The lower caffeine content also makes it a nice night time drink if you aren’t prepared to switch tea for something herbal.

I wrote a lot more than this and must have accidentally closed the tab, so here’s a short version.

Leaves are dark green with lots of golden hairs. Caramel notes could be smelled in the dry leaf and became stronger in the wet leaf.

This came as a sample in the ‘Discover Georgia’ collection I purchased as part of my first What-Cha order. Most teas from What-Cha have been at the very least enjoyable but this one I’ve never really been able to find anything positive in. The leaf is mostly fannings and dust. It brews a dark reddish liquor and I’ve never been able to identify much taste in it at all. I write this as I’m drinking the last of the sample bag and for thoroughness and to see if I could get any taste out of it I gave it a nice long steep at 205f.

Sweet grassy flavor. Liquor actually has a purple tinge to it.

Tea has a smooth earthy taste. First few steeps start out reddish and continue to get darker until I couldn’t see through my glass Cha Hai.

Malty and spicy on the first steep. The spice fades in later steeps but the pleasant maltiness is still there. I might taste a hint of some kind of fruity sweetness as well.