Big Trouble in Little Lapsang! #1 of 3
Let me start by saying that I like Lapsang Souchong (or at least the three I tried) as a deviation from the more popular or mainstream fare and my scores for all three in this series indicate to how much I like each one in relation to the others, not whether or not I like this kind of tea at all. After reading many poorly scored reviews on several different LS offerings from those who simply don’t like this kind of tea in any fashion, that seemed like it needed to be clarified.
Ouch! Sorry, I tripped falling off of my soapbox. Anyhoo.. Of the three I tried, this one from DavidsTea was by far the most robustly smoky in the bunch. I ordered it a while back and had never tried a LS before so I didn’t have any frame of reference although I thought it was passable in the evening when I wasn’t looking for much of a caffeine kick. I enjoy both a dram of scotch whisky and a taste of maduro cigars on occasion so my temperament for this sort of thing should probably be taken into consideration if you’ve never tried a Lapsang Souchong and are considering it.
This one is closer to a cup of burnt embers than smoky subtlety. While that is not necessarily a bad thing if it’s what you’re looking for, I found it to be a little over the top. It is the only flavor I was able to taste. Although I am rating this one between the other two, it actually would match my mood better from time to time and could be a go-to on those evenings. Adding sweetener of any kind here is a waste unless you plan to throw it out instead – look elsewhere for variations on this type of tea that will respond better to that sort of meddling. Drink this one neat.
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I’ve only tried a couple LS teas, and found them both to be over the top. I tired of them quickly. That was quite a few years ago, and now I’d probably look for a more subtle version, or do shorter steeps.
Of course the one I liked best was the LS from a local tea house that I can’t order online! Bonnie has gotten her backyard tea house’s hooks in me and is going to have me driving all over the state to refill teas that are great but hard to come by.. I may have a trunkload to bring home in a few weeks!
Can you buy that LS from the tea house??
Apparently so! Happy Lucky’s wide world of teas has been a hit on every varietal I’ve tried so far. I plan to drive a few hours north in a few weeks on one of my days off to check this place out. No idea where they source their teas but I’m impressed with the few samples that Bonnie sent me.
Sometimes samples aren’t enough, are they?? They get their hook in you, and don’t let go!
hehehe Yes I’d say there’s a very real difference between the power of word of mouth (which can be huge on its own) and the power of a sample tea in cup. My shopping list is starting to look like my Netflix queue!
Hahahaa
My girlie version of the cigars and whiskey is fine dark chocolate and I have a great whiskey white chedder that is a sweet counterpoint to the bold smoke. Um.
I’ve only tried a couple LS teas, and found them both to be over the top. I tired of them quickly. That was quite a few years ago, and now I’d probably look for a more subtle version, or do shorter steeps.
Of course the one I liked best was the LS from a local tea house that I can’t order online! Bonnie has gotten her backyard tea house’s hooks in me and is going to have me driving all over the state to refill teas that are great but hard to come by.. I may have a trunkload to bring home in a few weeks!
Can you buy that LS from the tea house??
Apparently so! Happy Lucky’s wide world of teas has been a hit on every varietal I’ve tried so far. I plan to drive a few hours north in a few weeks on one of my days off to check this place out. No idea where they source their teas but I’m impressed with the few samples that Bonnie sent me.
Sometimes samples aren’t enough, are they?? They get their hook in you, and don’t let go!
hehehe Yes I’d say there’s a very real difference between the power of word of mouth (which can be huge on its own) and the power of a sample tea in cup. My shopping list is starting to look like my Netflix queue!
Hahahaa
My girlie version of the cigars and whiskey is fine dark chocolate and I have a great whiskey white chedder that is a sweet counterpoint to the bold smoke. Um.