The name is a mouthful, but that’s appropriate because so is the tea. Lapsang Souchang is a westerners tea – popular over here, not so much in China which is odd given that it’s an old tea style.
It’s a true black tea, it’s smoked over pinewood fires which gives it a very strong smoke flavour and scent. This tea was referenced in Sherlock Holmes novels, it was the favourite tea of Winston Churchill which he was said to enjoy with a bit of scotch. It’s not a tepid tea. I hadn’t originally planned on purchasing this tea but Harney had a free shipping for orders over $50 and I needed something to boost my total. Given a choice of $50 all tea versus $50 which includes $15 shipping and handling, gimme the tea.
Harney’s lists it as a briskness 1, body 4, aroma 5. I must admit that I really like this tea, it’s a no nonsense black tea that has a very robust taste. This isn’t a fruity tea drinker tea. The smokey flavour is reminds me of that of a good smoked cheddar or smoked sausage and I can easily see how this would work well with a scotch, the peaty flavour would likely compliment. If you like a good strong black tea, I would suggest trying a sample of this. It’s a classic.
Verdict: A+
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