Lapsang Souchong

Had to try this. The leaves were very smoky, similar to a barbegue grill. The flavor of the brew less so. And I didn’t enjoy it. And I think it gave me a headache.

If you’re a fan of Lapsang Souchong, this is a fine choice. Unfortunately, I’m not. This has a strong (very strong, I mean super-strong) smoky aroma, and as is indicative of all Lapsangs, it tastes much like I imagine licking a charcoal grill would taste like. If that’s your thing, by all means, go for it.

Side note: Combined with some more fruity flavors, however, this could be pretty interesting.

Think woody campfire smoke, inhaled, then consumed as a liquid. Doesn’t make you cough, but otherwise this is pretty much my experience of this tea. Can be pleasant or not depending on your taste and your emotional associations with campfires. I could easily close my eyes and be transported back to some great times with this imagination-inducing tea. Drinking it straight would be an acquired taste, but I’ll blend this with other teas to add a bit of smokey depth.

2nd steep. Aroma is not as strong, or maybe I’m just used to it now. It reminds me of how smoking meats outside and the smoke permeates into your clothes and the smoke smell just lingers around you. 2nd steep was still smooth

A fine Lapsang with a very smoky aroma and smooth lingering finish. Might be a little off-putting for those who are still getting used to the taste of Lapsang, but a good standard to have for an everyday drink. Would be a welcome addition to pep up a black tea that needs a little more flavour, like a basic English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast blend or even a medium-bodied Assam.

Lapsang Souchong Black Tea, an unusual and bold tea from the Fujian province of China. Smoked over pine fires in bamboo baskets this tea captures the taste of the fire. It is a perfect tea for cold winter nights…the taste reminded me of warm fires, high mountains, and clear cold skies. You can taste the full spectrum of tea with this type…the warmth from the sun, the aging leaf, and the smoke from the fire in every swallow. It is one of the most intense tea flavors I have come across. Tastes good black and sweetened, but tastes like stale ashes if left to cool too long

Full disclosure: this is the first Lapsang Souchong I’ve ever had. I’ve been curious about it for a while and finally decided to try it.

This tea is not for the faint of heart. At first sniff, it reveals a formidable aroma of smoked pine. I was overwhelmed and somewhat put off at first by the intensity. However, the smell itself wasn’t unpleasant, and after getting used to it, I was able to pick up the refreshing scent of pine beneath the smoke, which I found very pleasant.

The liquor is a surprisingly clear, light rust color. The intensity of the scent and dark dry leaves led me to expect a very black brew. The flavor is at first very earthy and woody, but the significant trait is the lingering smoked pine that sticks to the back of the throat, reminiscent of campfire smoke that gets into everything. This pervasive smokiness could either be a very bad or very good thing, and it leads me to conclude that this tea, for my personal preference, is best consumed alongside food with flavors that are enhanced by the smokiness. After trying it a few different times by itself, I finally had mine with a goat cheese, roasted vegetable pizza. It was delicious. I had some of the tea after it had cooled down for curiosity’s sake and I must say that this tea is terrible cold, as one might have guessed. All I could taste was soggy wood.

Final verdict: Intense, smoked pine aroma can be polarizing. Delightful paired with the right foods (and likely disgusting with the wrong ones). I would not personally like to drink this tea by itself right now, but I could see growing to like it enough for that. Avoid drinking cold at all costs.

I absolutely love smoky teas. I had this one with lunch today. It was a nice smoked wood flavor, without tasting burnt or like dirt, like some can.

This is a really nice Lapsang Souchong. Not completely overpowering, but not one of those wimpy Lapsangs either. It’s beautifully smooth with some subtle sweetness. My favorite way to take it is to chop up some crystalized ginger and add it to the infuser with the leaves. It makes a lovely sweet and slightly spicy drink that is absolutely perfect for cooler nights. Not too shabby chilled with some bourbon either ;)

Mmmmm, nice and smokey! This has such a rich smokey scent! It tastes really smokey and deep too, but doesn’t have any bitterness at all, really quite smooth! I am not familiar with the nuances of lapsang, but this one is really enjoyable!