Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong Smoked Wuyi Black

It is completely my fault that I don’t love this tea. I saw the word “smoked” in the name. I got some anyway. Not. My. Thing. The rest of this ounce will now be Brenden’s. Thing.

Ah nice, smooth & smoky, but I think I’m getting tired of it. That’s why it’s definitely better to buy in small amounts for me… I really want to drink it down but not enjoying it so much any more. Smoked out? Maybe. Eh, but just got like a couple cups I think. No more smokey teas for me for a bit.

This one is really something else.

If I had to rate a tea a perfect 100, it would be the first Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong I ever tried, several years ago. So when I ordered this batch of Xiao Zhong from Verdant Tea, I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the expectations of that initial, nostalgic memory. I let it sit for a while, untested, and when I finally opened the package, I was admittedly a little shocked by the intensity of the smoky aroma. This wasn’t the beginner-friendly, soft smokiness of a Shui Xian, and nothing like the Xiao Zhong I had remembered either. It’s complex and earthy, almost animal, with a very strong scent of resin or wet, smoldering pine needles. It’s not something I’d want to inhale deeply, but it becomes more subtle after brewing.

Once brewed, this tea really shines. It’s light and smooth, very fragrant but with none of the punch of the dry leaf aroma, with a natural sweetness that becomes more evident with more sips. The sweetness is almost like fruit in syrup, but with no cloying sugariness. There is a lingering touch of the pine or evergreen essence as well. Overall, I think the real appeal of this tea is in the contrast between the intensity of the aroma, which is sharp, cool, and startling, and the subtlety of the flavor, which is warm and almost too harmonious to be believed. It’s not similar to that mythical first Xiao Zhong, but it is unique and unlike anything else I’ve tried.

I ordered this at Verdant because I’d never had a smoky tea before. It was indeed smoky! It wasn’t unpleasant for me but I don’t think that smoke is one of my favorite flavors. If you do like smoky teas, I would recommend it though! It was smooth and mellow and tasted expensive if you know what I mean.

Very smooth lapsang with a pleasant aftertaste that stays for a long time

I can’t believe that I forgot about this tea, I’ve barely used any of it! Used a heaping teaspoon and a bit extra leaves in a gaiwan, steeped for 20 seconds with 190 degree water. As I was pouring the water over the leaves it started to fill the room with an amazing aroma that reminds me of when I used to go camping in Pennsylvania. The first sip of the tea starts with the a very mild, creamy smokiness that gradually transitions into raw sugar flavor. The mouth-feel also changes to the really fantastic mineral sensation that Wuyi teas are famous for, which was very pleasant. This is truly a rare find, and I can’t wait to see how it develops.

The second cup was preapred with 200 degree water and steeped for about 8 seconds. I was actually amazined, this time it tasted exactly like the subtle roast Zheng Shan Xaio Zhong I got from Verdant last year. That was an amazing tea, and for this to have ascended to that level put this the top 5 teas I’ve ever had. Wow. Anyway, the difference in taste is that this was a little darker, and there is more of the Wuyi flavor profile present. The tea is also sweeter and a bit less creamy, but everything fits together so well that talking about the individual flavors really doesn’t do the tea justice. I kinda wish I had another bag of this.

Free sample with the purchase. Thank you Verdant Tea.
i used the whole packet, 200ml glass teapot, 212F
rinse 5/10/10/15/15 etc
1st steep produced clear light orange color brew. with later steeps the color intensified. Wet leaves smelled like slightly burned toast( I’m weird, I always smell wet leaves)
its a very complex tea. its toasty, smoky and sweet. As it cooled it became more chocolate sweet with some slight peppery notes. I’m glad I didn’t add any maple syrup to it, I wouldn’t noticed how sweet it is. It constantly changes with every steep. I really enjoyed it