Ashes of Autumn

I’m still looking for a strong, good lapsang souchong to replace my favorite of this from Zen’s in Canada. Ashes of Autumn sounded promising. I’m sipping at night and it’s a good tea, brisk and smooth, malty and smoke. It is not the replacement I am looking for as my go-to lapsang, but it’s a worthy tea for the cabinet. I haven’t had a blend like this one that’s fresh, smokey, sweet all at once. I approve.

I had this tea in my cupboard for a couple of month and it has changed quite a bit – despite being in a well-sealed Ziploc bag. It lost the fierce smokiness in both taste and aroma that precluded me from drinking it more often as it called for a very specific mood to enjoy it.

Now it comes off as very full-bodied, expansive and incredibly sweet. A lot of complexity and a good strong finish. This tea reminds me of fall, bountiful harvests, Thanksgiving, big dinners and camaraderie. I like it even more than before and will certainly reorder (bumps the original score up a notch).

A very nice, smooth tea. I decided to try another of my new teas tonight (I really need to drink some down though!) I enjoyed this one. The smoke flavor wasn’t very strong to me. Possibly because my sense of smell is gone. But it was present, and I liked the tea. As I said, the tea goes down smoothly with no acidity or bitterness. I think I’ll enjoy this one. Glad I got it.

Tea of the morning. This tea is cozy… comforting. It’s a Lapsang Souchong, so the smoked pine note is there, but it isn’t overpowering. A sweet honey-like flavor is there through the whole sip, and it mixes with the smokey note in such a lovely way. I’m definitely a fan.

Thanks, kimquat for sending this in our swap. It’s really good!

September Sipdown: 12

Ooh, this one is very interesting. It’s honey and fruit with a subtle undercurrent of smoked wood. The smell of the dry leaf and tea liquor was very heavy on the smoke, so it’s much lighter than I expected it to be! Delicate even. It’s smooth without a trace of bitterness. The finish is woodsy with a residual sweetness. The more I sip, the sweeter it seems to become. The smokiness recedes into the background a bit.

In the second cup, the smokiness is dialed back even more. The woodsy notes are stronger and the tea has gained a savory quality that reminds me of lightly roasted nuts. It’s smooth and silky and the sweetness is still very present.

I don’t think I could drink this every day but it’s quite nice. Something that’s suited for quiet, cool autumn nights.

Shared a pot of this with my Hubby yesterday.
This was another lovely sample that Brenden slipped in with my order.
Always a hit in this household.
Since LS is one of the only teas Hubby really enjoys, I usually save it to be drunk with him, on a slow Sunday morning.
Which is what we did yesterday!
Delicious, smoky yet sweet.
One of those teas that you wrap both hands around the mug and bury your face deep into the steam.
Its a like a hug in a tea cup.
Although, with this tea, its a little less like a hug from your Grandma and more like a hug from a big burly logger.
But, thats okay, because I am down with that.