Lapsang souchong | WikiTea | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit High grade lapsang souchong possesses a taste of dried longan for the first few brews. Lapsang souchong's flavour is strong and smoky, similar to the smell of a barbecue or campfire , or of Latakia pipe tobacco. The flavour of the pine smoke is meant to complement the natural taste of the black tea, but should not overwhelm it. Tea merchants marketing to westerners note that this variety of tea generally produces a strong reaction—with most online reviews extremely positive or strongly negative. Tea connoisseurs often note that Formosan lapsang souchong typically has a stronger flavour and aroma, the most extreme being tarry souchong (smoked, as the name implies, over burning pine tar). Smoke roast Edit Smoke roast (熏焙 xun bei): Roasting in a bamboo basket called honglong (烘笼) that is heated over burning firewood, which contributes to the dried longan aroma and smoky flavor. Pine tree was used as the firewood for lapsang souchong and contains the characteristic resin aroma and taste.

Chemistry Edit The unique aroma of lapsang souchong is due to a variety of chemical compounds. The two most abundant constituents of the aroma are longifolene and α-terpineol . Many of the compounds making up the aroma of lapsang souchong, including longifolene, originate only in the pine smoke, and are not found in other kinds of tea. [1] Cultural references Edit In American author James A. Michener's 1974 historical novel Centennial , Rocky Mountain fur trapper Alexander McKeag describes lapsang souchong as "a man's tea, deep and subtle and blended in some rugged place," ... "better even than whisky." [2] In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Picard's tea of choice was originally intended by actor Patrick Stewart to be lapsang souchong, but was changed to Earl Grey by the writers, as it was more familiar with the American audience. Colin Hay , singer from the Australian band Men at Work references lapsang souchong in his song "Beautiful World," from his 2001 album Going Somewhere .

The hit TV show, The Mentalist, the protagonist's (Patrick Jane, an inveterate tea drinker) favorite tea is Lapsang Souchong. References What is Lapsang Souchong Tea? | Tea Forte Checkout our Black Teas: Lapsang Souchong They ship fast and free (above a minimum). Get your favorite's now! The History, Preparation and Characteristics that Make this Chinese Tea Special You may have heard of Lapsang Souchong tea, a unique variety of black tea that originated in China. This tea is known for the smoky flavor that makes it pleasantly different from other teas. How did this tea come to be, and where can you find it today? Origins and History Like many types of tea, the true history of the smoked variety of Souchong is tangled up in legends. Many claim that all black tea originated in Tongmu Village in the Wuyishan Mountains of Fujian province in China. The story goes that, once upon a time, all the tea produced in Tongmu was green tea, which was traded with Europeans. One year, soldiers moved through the area, occupying the village of Tongmu during tea harvesting time.

Recently harvested tea wound up sitting and oxidizing, thus becoming black tea. After the soldiers moved out, the villagers returned and were devastated to find that their tea had been “ruined.” One of them suggested trying to revive the tea by smoking it to remove the unpleasant odor left behind by the army. The result was a smoky, unusual brew. Another legend states that soldiers moving through Tongmu set fire to pine sheds where tea was drying, and this is what created the smoke flavor. Either way, the strange new variety of tea was well liked by the Europeans, who asked for more. To continue creating this tea, the Chinese harvested and withered the leaves, pan-fried them and rolled them, then allowed them to ferment before smoke-drying them over a smoldering pine fire. Finding Smoky Souchong Today Interestingly enough, little smoked Souchong tea is actually produced in Tongmu these days. Another tea type, Jin Jun Mei, is more profitable, making Souchong a less attractive choice for tea growers and processors. However, many companies in other places follow the traditional smoking method to produce a delicious black tea with the authentic flavor that people have come to enjoy. These teas can be found at online tea stores and in tea shops.

Brewing and Enjoying Unique Souchong Tea The brewing method for smoked Souchong teas is similar to that of other black tea types. Add loose tea to an infuser inside a cup or pot, or place tea bags in the vessel of your choice. Pour boiling water over the top and steep for three to five minutes. Since the smoky flavor of this tea can be quite strong, it’s best to start with a shorter brewing time and taste it to see what you think. After a bit of trial and error, you’ll find the strength that you like best. At Tea Forte, you can get Lapsang Souchong loose or in our handcrafted pyramid infuser to be enjoyed any time you like. Follow the steeping instructions to get a flavorful cup without any hint of bitterness and experience the difference that the unique smoke-drying process makes. Mighty Leaf Tea | The Whole Leaf. The Whole Flavor. Black Teas Starting at $5 Warm up with select black teas. On sale now through 1/23/17. Pyramid Pouches Same Great Tea in a Brand New Pouch The new pyramid pouches feature the same great Mighty Leaf teas delivered in a different pouch form.

New available in grocery and natural food stores. Lapsang Souchong Black Full-Leaf | The Republic of Tea Lapsang Souchong Black Full-Leaf Quantity Add to Cart The Tea of Mystery - The entrancing, smoky character of this tea is achieved by an elaborate process. The hand-picked leaves are smoked over pinewood embers, for a distinct and mysterious cup. Read Tea Reviews(41) » Caffeine: Black Tea has less than half the amount of caffeine per cup than in a similar-sized cup of coffee. More about caffeine . Steeping Instructions Steeping black tea is easy. Simply heat fresh, filtered water to a rolling boil. Then pour water over tea and steep for 3-5 minutes if using a tea bag or full-leaf. Ingredients Finest Fukien Lapsang Souchong leaves Calories What our Citizens are saying about this great gift of the leaf... 4.5 Star 5 Stars "Camp Fire" Tea Bill from FL on 12/24/2016 wrote: Bold slap-you-in-the-face-awake taste and powerful smoky aroma.

My coworkers even three cubicles away know when I brew it, jokingly calling out that I'm making "camp fire" tea. Liked this type of tea since 1970 recently tried yours 5 Stars Liked this type of tea since 1970 recently tried yours donald from WA on 6/21/2015 wrote: And liked it very much for certain a be sure we have this in the larder staple Very Interesting 4 Stars Very Interesting Brian from LA on 12/20/2014 wrote: Definitely one of the more interesting teas I've tried. If you find its smokey flavor too strong, a local coffee shop I frequent recommends blending 1/4 lapsang souchong with 3/4 keemun to calm it down. I tried it like this, and found it to be fantastic. Delicious! 5 Stars Delicious! Julian from CA on 6/27/2014 wrote: I am a big fan of Lapsang Souchong and the best I've bought has been from RoT. Smells and tastes like a campfire. It's nice and strong, just the way I like it!

Smooth smoky flavor 5 Stars Smooth smoky flavor Judy Bailes from TX on 6/4/2014 wrote: I have loved this tea for many years. Couldn't find it for awhile, then I discovered The Republic of Tea. Was so happy to find they had it. This has a really great smoky flavor and fragrance. Very smooth, not bitter. Lapsang Souchong Tea - Chinese Black Tea | Harney.com | Harney & Sons Fine Teas 5 Details Lapsangs comes from The Wuyi Mountains (WuyiShan) in the northeastern part of Fujian Province. This was where black teas were first developed (called Bohea.) In the steeply forested mountains wood was plentiful, so it came naturally to smoke tea like bacon. The leaves were slowly withered to create a complex tea, then the leaves were slowly dried in rooms with a smoky fire below.

Dry Leaves The demise of Tongmu Lapsang Souchong Black Tea The demise of Tongmu Lapsang Souchong Black Tea By Austin Hodge , on November 29, 2013 in: Tea Industry News Tongmu Village, high in the Wuyishan Mountains in Fujian Province, is the birthplace of black tea. It is Lapsang Souchong that made this area famous, with it’s strong smokiness giving rise to a fixation for many people, including Sherlock Holmes, the very archetype of obsession. It’s original popularity is part of what makes the demise of Lapsang Souchong Black Tea, one of China’s most famous black teas, so filled with irony. There is no longer any Lapsang Souchong Black Tea that is made from Tongmu-grown bushes. Tongmu today is prospering like never before because of a tea that has only been developed in the last eight years. This tea, Jin Jun Mei, has not only become the highest priced black tea, but it has also popularized black tea drinking in China for the first time in the nation’s 5000 year history with tea.

This prosperity trend is unlikely to change since Tongmu Village has been a protected UNESCO site since 1979, although not because of tea but because of some rare butterflies that exist nowhere else. Tongmu is in a high mountain valley with steep walls and a creek running through it. The people that settled it went to hide from the militarism that was rampant at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Ironically, it would be a group of soldiers on their way over a little known mountain pass that would change the fate of Tongmu and would provide the spark that would eventually lead to tea being the most consumed beverage in the world. At the time its founding, around 1607 to 1644, a small group of people settled Tongmu. Because of the terrain, it was very difficult to farm and the only crops they were able to successfully grow were tea and bamboo. They needed to be able to sell tea in order to survive the cold winter in the steep valley, as the land did not produce enough food to feed them. When they settled in Tongmu, the only kind of tea that they made was green tea because no other type of processing had been invented yet.

The area, being high in the mountains, produced a very sweet tea. This is because the stressed tea bushes produced a lot of amino acids, and this flavor made it a good seller. The tea making techniques the villagers used had been learned from Huangshan following the ban of cakes by the Ming Emperor in 1391. The cakes, which were ground into powder like matcha, had become almost a shadow currency that the Emperor felt could destabilize the economy. The loose leaf tea that we now enjoy came out of that time. Tea making had to be reinvented and the Huangshan area had come up with a process that was much easier to manage than the 100% pan frying process that was becoming popular further north. The Tongmu was using that technology which is still in use across China. The tea making process involved pan-frying and then shaping and roasting over a bamboo roaster that was fueled by an odorless bamboo charcoal. Still all tea was green tea. Despite only having a small area to work with, they produced some truly great tea. One spring, during campaigning season, a clever general skilled in mountain fighting decided to surprise his enemy in Jiangxi province by using a tough to navigate path that passed through Tongmu.

As it happened, the harvest was at its peak. Towards the end of the day, as picking was being completed, the soldiers reached Tongmu. The villagers fled to hide in the rugged mountains leaving behind a great piles of withering tea leaves waiting to be processed into green tea, which must be done soon after picking to keep the leaves from oxidizing. If the day had gone according to plan they would probably have been up all night making tea. The soldiers found what food there was and stayed for a couple of days, finishing off the food and using the tea as nice soft beds, while the villagers hid in the mountains with the monkeys. Upon returning, the villagers found themselves ruined. The soldiers had left behind broken leaves that had oxidized and absorbed the stink of the soldiers. However, one innovative villager suggested that they could cover the smell by roasting the tea with horsetail pine instead of bamboo charcoal. Horsetail pine (a common tree in the Wuyishan area) was used to roast the first batch in hopes of covering the smell of the soldiers, thus giving birth to black tea. The tea was brought to a small town called Xincun, a trading center.

Xincun was on the Juiqu river which allowed merchandise to be sent by boat to the port city of Fuzhou. It was all hand carried from Tongmu, a distance of about 40 kilometers. They begged a Fuzhou merchant that traded with Indonesia to take it on consignment, doubting that it would ever be sold and that even if it was they would not make the profit they would have if had it been their usual sweet green tea. They struggled through the winter, hunting and eating bamboo, and the next the year the Fuzhou merchant showed up with not only a nice return on the original crop, but a request for more. After some time, and no one is sure when an additional request came for added smokiness. This first black tea was probably first called Bohea when it made its way to Europe. Lapsang Souchong, or just Souchong came later. The trade of black tea accelerated with the opening of the port Xiamen in 1684.

In 1732, Liu Jing, the mayor of Changan county, currently Wuyishan City, set an area of 600 sq kilometers with Tongmu at the center as the only authentic area where black tea was produced. Lui Jing specified what he considered to be fake black tea being made in neighboring areas. He stated that the color of the tea should be red, and his list of makers of real hong cha excluded the nearby Fujian counties of Shaowu , Zhenghe, Tian Yong, Piannan, Gutian, Shaxian, and the Qianshan county in Jiangxi. Issues of origin were important even then and this was perhaps the first attempt to protect an origin and a brand where international trade was concerned. The evolution of the name, “black tea,” is a matter of controversy. Black tea, or hong cha in Chinese which means red tea, was first mentioned in Chinese in 1640 in the Qing Dai Tang Shi, being called Xiao Zheng Hong Cha (small leaf red tea). The people in Tongmu just called it Wuda.

At that time the black tea that was being sold to the Dutch in Indonesia, and was likely called Bohea by them because of the similarity to the name Wuyi, referring to the Wuyi Mountains. The current name of Lapsang Souchong probably comes from the Chinese Lexun Xiaozhong (heavily smoked small leaf). It is a reference to its smoking process called songming or lexun, where aged dry wood is burned. Alternatively, there is still the process called songmu, where wet wood is burned is used to create a less smoky Bohea, and making for a tea much closer to the original. The names Bohea and Lapsang Souchong have been used so interchangeably, that there is little wonder that there is such confusion. At one point when the English passed new tea import duties in the 19th century, it was noted that even the experts could not tell the difference between Bohea, Souchong, and Congou, for taxing purposes. The Oxford Dictionary defines Bohea as the worst grade of tea. It is perhaps a bit ironic that the only place were this old name is still used is to signify a better quality tea is in Tongmu.

Both Bohea(lightly smoked) and Lapsang Souchong (strong smoked) teas processing started out the same way, while Tongmu was still using local tea to make Lapsang Souchong. The process takes about 48 hours to be completed, from picking, to withering, to rolling, to oxidizing, and finally to roasting. At the end of this process the unbroken leaves are hand sorted out of the mix. The unbroken leaf represents the best grade, named Zhengshan Xiaozhong Tedeng. Then the next grades, three in all, are re-roasted using the songmu wood for roasting. They are called Zhengshan Xiaozhong Teji. For Tedeng and Teji, the smokiness in the tea is slight, with Teding having the least smokiness and a sweet fruity flavor like the Chinese fruit longan. It was probably Tedeng that first made it to Europe because we know it originally shipped in chests that only contained 17.5 kilos. That would have made it expensive. Besides, a cheap tea in the beginning would not have spurred the expansion of production that rapidly occurred.

There had to be some financial incentive for the producers to take the risk of moving from green tea to black tea production. Another interesting twist was added in that as demand increased, they began chopping the finished tea in order to get more into a chest. The chest weight almost doubled to 30 kilos. This is also when at least the first extra roasting between Teding and Teji started to become the practice, using the songmu roasting. The extra roasting helped to stabilize the cut tea because cutting added more surface area that was exposed to moisture, which would decrease shelf life. The extra roasting removed any moisture that might have been absorbed after the cutting, and was also thought to help protect the exposed surfaces. In Chinese black tea production, the practice of cutting the tea happens only after it has been roasted. That is not true in Indian tea making where the leaves are broken up before roasting begins, dramatically changing the character of the tea. Perhaps that why Chinese black tea is so different from black tea produced in the commodity tea model. It is hard to reconcile the difference in tea making techniques. Robert Fortune brought tea plants out of China that had origin in Wuyishan, and be also brought Chinese tea makers.

Did they plan from early on that the tea should have more bitterness that would require sugar to offset it? Did the English want a browner color that would look more pleasing when milk was added? This change in the processing completely changes the character of the tea. Surely the world-wide proliferation of tea can be credited to the British production of tea in its colonies, but it is sweetened, spiced, flavored and blended the majority of the time. This is not true in China, were the tea is primarily unadulterated. You can certainly make a case that the strong smoking of the tea is an adulteration, and that may explain why the tea is rarely consumed in China. Which brings us back to Lapsang Souchong , the strong smoked version of Zhenshan Xiaozhong. The accurate name in Chinese is Yan (smoked) Zhengshan Xiaozhong. which is the most familiar in the West, at least in the present day. This tea which would come from the lesser grades of the chopping that occurred after the first 48 hours of processing. If it where still Tongmu tea that was being used, it would be roasted with a more intense wood called songming to finish the process.

This is horsetail pine that is allowed to age, and because of the knottiness of this type of pine, a lot of resin has hardened in the knots, giving the tea its distinct tarry quality (like certain single malt scotches) which some drinkers find strongly addicting. Tongmu tea is so rich, even with this strong smoke, the fruitiness is still easily noted and its complexity is evident. This is a tea with very few middle of the road drinkers — either you love it or hate it. Be assured, those who love it are many. When Tongmu was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site, it coincided with China opening up to international trade again. That brought authentic Tongmu Lapsang Souchong back into the global market. Having to compete with the commodity market made profits low, but demand was high. It wasn’t long before Tongmu reached its capacity, which is about 40 tons per year in sales. The UNESCO restrictions blocked them from expanding their gardens, so they looked to Hubei to solve their supply problem. They started buying cheap tea from Hubei and smoking it in their local factories.

At its high point, around 2000 tons of Lapsang Souchong from Hubei was being smoked in the village. Even with this production size, the profit realized was always very small at just a cent or two per kilo. They used their homegrown tea to make the better quality Bohea (Teding and Teji) using the songmu process, and still do at the present time. In 2006, another innovation took place in Tongmu. A Fujian official asked Jiang Yuanxun, the biggest manufacturer in Tongmu, to make some tea as a gift using bud tea and without the familiar smoking. The tea was made by Liange Junde, the tea master that worked for Mr Jiang at the time, and the tea Jin Jun Mei was born. In 2007, it went into production and rapidly became the most expensive black tea ever sold in China. This tea and its lesser grade, Yin Jun Mei, have brought wealth to Tongmu. It is a village that cannot grow, but they are getting the maximum return on their limited acreage.

These teas have once again spawned many fakes, but the character of the local bushes and the local high mountain terroir are unmatched. Over the years, factors have changed to make it no longer financially attractive for Tongmu to bring tea from somewhere else and smoke it there, so even that practice has declined. It is still possible in theory to contract someone to use Tongmu harvested tea to make Lapsang Souchong with Tongmu bushes. The tea would cost five times as much, the buyer would have to deal directly with the tea maker in Tongmu and they would have to have a solid relationship to guarantee authenticity. This complicated process raises the question as to why a buyer should even bother doing that when there are areas outside of Tongmu (but still in the Wuyishan area) that are selling Lapsang Souchong at a lower price, although even these areas have become scarcer in recent years. Cheap tea will not become a thing of the past in China. However, there is a rising desire for better quality tea that is beginning to drive the market trends. This demand change will make cheap, lower-quality tea harder to find, with quality decreasing in tandem with price. This trend can be seen happening with gunpowder green tea.

Gunpowder green tea has been one of the staples of Chinese exports, and 5 or 10 years ago it was possible to get some pretty good quality gunpowder with the bulk of it available with international organic certifications. Try finding the equivalent now. Good luck. Pesticide use goes hand in hand with cheap tea because lower altitude summer leaves, which are plagued by pest problems, are sure to be used. Probably the biggest buyer of gunpowder is Morocco, and when I talked to the head of the Moroccan Tea Council at a conference in China earlier this year, he asked me why it was so hard to get gunpowder. Not just good gunpowder, but simply enough gunpowder to meet the needs of the Moroccan market. This scarcity of product is because the biggest gunpowder producer in 2006 in Zhejiang no longer makes very much, and what they do isn’t profitable. Instead, they are making organically certified higher quality Longjing, and it is excellent.

At some point, Chinese tea producers started asking themselves, “Why make tea that wholesales for a couple of dollars when I can make tea that sells for a couple of hundred?” The Chinese domestic market supports the answer of higher quality at higher price as the middle class grows and is looking for a better quality life, and to be able to buy tea that had always gone to the nobility. This is a trend that will not change. Once you have tasted the good stuff, for most people there is no going back. It has become a matter of exposure and education, and a willingness to pay more for tea. Still, at todays prices even the most expensive tea is a bargain compared to fine wine. This question is not only being asked in China, but it is also already being asked in India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya, where the majority of growers are small holders that can pivot easier than large plantations. It is wrong to think that the world’s tea drinkers will not follow that trend.

There are producers that are trying out white tea, and wulongs, as well as green tea, and there is no reason that I can see that tea which requires greater skill and cultivars that are focused on quality rather that quantity, will not spread every where as it has been with fine wine. Tongmu Village invented black tea that became so popular, in it’s many forms, in the rest of the world to the degree tea is now the most consumed beverage after water. Tongmu hasn’t grown though, nor will it. Their village economy has prospered through innovation and applying their knowledge to produce incredible quality tea. They did that in a market place that had never had existed before, and not once but twice. First by making the best out of a bad situation and inventing black tea, and then by taking things to a new standard of excellence with Jin Jun Mei to elevate their invention to the highest level ever reached by a black tea. Austin *Authors Note: I am trying to write shorter blogs. This one was intended for 500 words, but I seems to have gone a lot further. I will keep trying in the future to be briefer, but I can’t promise. .

Tea processing methods, Lapsang Souchong Roughly, the manufacturing process contains five steps: Fixation – Withering – Rolling – Fermentation – Pan-firing – Re-rolling – Smoke Baking – Re-firing – Maocha Withering: The first step of making Lapsang Souchong is withering, which is a natural process and requires a particular room specially designed for this purpose. It includes two types, sun withering and withering by high heat. Just as its name implies，the first refers to the way of withering under sunlight. The second way look like some bit complicated than the first, the tea is put on bamboo basket and slow roasted over pine fire for couples of hours. Rolling: After having been moderately withered, those fresh leaves are going to be lightly bruised on their edges by shaking or tossing with hands or tea twisting machine. This step is curial to the fermentation. Fermentation: This process is also known as “hot fermentation”. Covered with thick cloth, tea leaves tightly pressed in a bamboo basket will ferment (speeded by their enzyme) and change its color to red brown.

Pan-firing: As a distinctive steps unique to Souchong processing, passing through a hot iron pan which aims to cease fermentation and maintain tea quality to a desirable level. Generally, this work has been done by skilled worker by stir-frying tea leaves with hands in an iron pan heated up to required temperature. Be very careful to control the temperature not too high or too low for the sake of getting enough aroma rather than bitter scorched leaves. Re-rolling: After fermentation and passing through “red pan”, the tea will be some scattered light so it is necessary to knead them again in tea twisting machine to get tightly twisted shape. Smoke Baking: Scatter tea leaves on bamboo sieves placed in the baking room and dry them with pine fire and bake them with pine smoke from the bottom of bamboo sieve holders. During the whole process, tea leaves continue to absorb pine aroma and ends with distinctive pine flavor. Re-firing: This step is going to pick out the coarse tea leaves and bake them again with pine fine to enhance its aroma. After above several steps, we get the semi-finished tea (毛茶, mao cha) which will be further processed several times before entering markets. 2.

Refining Main Procedures: Mixing Maocha – Stacking – Drying – Sifting – Fanning – Stalk Extraction – Complement of Firing – Re-baking Mixing Maocha: The Maocha tea leaves are going to be graded according to their producing area, harvest time, quality standards then stored separately for further processing. Stacking of Maocha: Pile up the Maocha tea of different quality together in appropriate proportion to control the stability of quality. Drying: Concocting leaves of different water content levels may easily lead to mildew spots, so it is necessary for tea makers to let excessive water content out by re-firing for quality requirements. After this process, the leaves should be pliable and resilient enough to be rolled for further process. Sifting: Pick out those leaves which does not meet the requirements of appearance standards and make all leaves compatible with each other in appearance. Fanning: Following the sifting process, tea leaves are going to be loaded into a machine known as the winnower, which can remove unqualified tea leaves and separates the leaves of good shape by size. Stalk extraction: After the process of fanning, there are still some leave stems or broken leaves need to be removed as required by quality standards.

Nowadays, this process can be done by hands or machines. Complement of firing: This step is going to evaporate the water content absorbed during the process of sifting and stalk extraction to prevent spoilage. Re-baking: The use of rosin to bake tea leaves is a special procedure unique to Lapsang Souchonog tea processing . After being smoke baked, the finished tea can give out a strong scent of rosin (someone calls dry longan scent). Besides, this process also can make dry leaves has a good shape and color. After having been verified by the quality inspection agency, the finished Lapsang Souchong tea will be packed and put on the market. Related Articles Lapsang Souchong Tea Lapsang Souchong Tea Beverages Fall Volume: 2007 Issue: 14(3) page(s): 9 and 10 In the fifth century, the word for tea became known as cha. However, it was not for the beverage we now know as tea, it was for the leaves whose uses were primarily medicinal. As a beverage, types of tea and tea consumption were codified by Lu Wu in his Classic of Tea written circa the eighth century.

This volume and the interest in it gave inklings as to its importance. After its publication, the Chinese began to drink tea often. Doing so increased its importance. The beliefs of that time remain to this day. Camellia sinensis, the only plant from which all teas are made, continues to grow in importance. Types, curing, and manufacturing processes have and are expanding. There are many kinds of white teas, yellow teas, green teas, oolong teas, and black teas. And, there are several kinds of pu-er teas. All their leaves are brewed in hot water, but best brewed at different temperatures depending upon the tea. In early times, other ingredients were added to tea leaves; now it is more common to just drink the liquid brewed with the leaves. Some teas were prepared for sale by packing the leaves together; these are called brick teas. This process was and still is done for shipping purposes. Different types and sizes of leaves are picked at assorted times. They are processed for different amounts of time, at different temperatures, using different techniques, etc. No matter how made, all types of tea are made from the leaves of this one plant.

In the Fujian Province, the principal tea made in the Wu-I region in the late 17th century was the partially fermented (correctly called 'oxidized'); it is Wuyi tea. This early 'Bohea' tea, really an oolong tea, is recognized by T. Huang, in The Science and Civilization in China's Volume VI:5. He states that between 1786 and 1833, black teas from Fujian had names such as congou and souchong. He also states that Chinese records do not tell how these teas were made. In an effort to learn this, Samuel Ball, in Cultivation and Manufacture of Tea in China published in 1848, gleaned some information from his Cantonese friends. Robert Fortune, disguised as a Chinese, actually did manage to visit the Wuyi region in the late 1840's. Ball's information is based upon records of the East Indian Company.

Huang wrote that the souchong was a bushy variety of tea grown in the Wuyi region, and that the best known souchong was 'lapsang souchong.' He said that Bohea was originally applied to the best black tea, and because they were called 'black teas' by foreign traders, many Chinese assumed that they actually were. However, there is no record in Chinese literature of how they were prepared, and souchong black tea is tea trade terminology born in the 18th century. What is anecdotally known, is that one night during the Taipei Rebellion, a tea processing station in Fujian's Wuyi mountains was billeted by rebel troops. It is said that they used bags of freshly picked tea leaves as bedding, and that after they left, the proprietor was alarmed when he discovered the leaves had turned dark and developed a special aroma. He could hardly wait to process them and ship them to Fuzhou. Later, he was pleasantly surprised to learn that foreigners actually liked the tea and wanted more of it. He is said to have received a standing order for the same type of tea year after year.

Now, known for its smoky flavor, the best Lapsang Souchong tea is a special product originating in Tong Mu Guan in a small village in the province of Fujian. Its flavor, sometimes described as 'tarry' is because it is processed in a very special way. The Chinese call it zeng shan xiao zhong. The last two words mean 'little variety' and are sometimes translated as 'subvariety.' The tale just told says this tea was discovered by accident, and in the Star Village, known in Chinese as Xing cun. The tale continues that after the troops left, the workers needed to rush the leaves to the market by drying them more quickly than usual. They are said to have dreamed up the idea of doing so over open pinewood fires. Then and since, Lapsang Soughong tea leaves wither or partially dry over these fires. In recent times they have used pine, cypress, or cedar wood for them. Then they pan-fry the leaves in dry woks, roll them, then press them into bamboo or wooden baskets. The baskets are covered with fabric and the tea leaves stay in them until they give off a distinct aroma.

After they dry somewhat, the leaves are taken out of the baskets, dry-fried again, and put on wooden racks to cool. Then they put them into other bamboo baskets that are hung over wood fires until the leaves are very dry. At this point, workers cut the leaves into strips, roll them, and smoke them once more. The result is glossy dry leaves, that when brewed, produce a very aromatic smoky red liquid. This tea, whose origins are placed in the 17th century, was and is still popular in the Wuyi tea market. It eventually made its way to European markets. Not all Lapsang Souchong tea is of high quality. Some is made with lower grades of leaves or is a blend of high and low and/or old and newer leaves. Some even have smoke or smoke flavoring added. At one time, this Lapsang Souchong tea was considered rare. Perhaps that was when demand exceeded supply. At other times, so little was made that this unusually flavored tea was simply hard to find. As a result of poorly made leaves or those mixed with other teas or artificial flavorings, demand for this type of tea was reduced.

When made well, this tea's taste has hints of longan fruit, and is considered terrific. At its height of popularity, tea merchants toted plants across the Taiwan Straits to plant some there. Tea originating in Taiwan is called Formosa Lapsang Soughong tea. This smoky tea has been popularized in the press and in many works of fiction. John Thorpe, editor of Simple Cooking, once wrote us that "Sherlock Holmes did not drink Lapsang Souchong tea. He drank coffee." John Bellair's Miss Ells in his Dark Secret of Weatherend, and James Michener's Alexander McKeag in Centennial, did drink this type of tea. So did other fictional characters. Real folks drink it, too, and fans of Lapsang Souchong tea report this tea goes well with spicy and salty foods. We love it with Smoked Ham, Smoked Chicken, Smoked Rabbit, and other smoked foods. Some fans call it the 'Burgundy of teas' or the 'Gew�rtztraminer' of teas. Some simply refer to it as 'a man's tea.' Why, because it has an assertive flavor and a strong aroma.

Traditional Chinese medicinal doctors recommend Lapsang Souchong tea as a stomach settler. They also suggest using it when making a congee that is said to ease chronic dysentery and reduce fatigue. Whatever one calls this smoky-flavored tea, and wherever, whenever, and with whomever one drinks or eats a congee made with it, it is best to brew the tea in 205 degree water for five or six minutes. The resultant liquid will be reddish-brown, lower in caffeine than most black-leaf teas of which it is one, and considered by some to be lots healthier. Lapsang Souchong tea leaves are great to use when making Tea Eggs. They are great to use when making Tea-smoked Duck. As a matter of fact, this tea when brewed, is great to drink with many heavy dishes and most fatty foods. For the latter, it aids in their digestion. No longer is short supply, Lapsang Souchong tea can be found in Chinese supermarkets and Chinese speciality emporia. Many places to purchase some are available when searching for it on the web Google-ing it.

Some places, including Upton Tea (in Hopkington MA; phone 800/234-8327) sell several varieties of Lapsang Souchong tea. This particular tea retailer is one of the few that sells sample envelopes of this and other teas for a buck or two. Postage and handling are extra. We recommend finding some somewhere, understand its uses, and appreciate its tastes. We used one sample envelope to make each of these recipes and make a pot or two of tea. When you open one or any Lapsang Souchong tea product, aroma fills your nostrils and tells of its taste. Just smelling it is a heady experience. Smokey Tea Eggs Lapsang Souchong Tea,history,growing area of lapsang souchong Lapsang Souchong Tea|1st Grade Lapsang Souchong Tea（正山小种） What is Lapsang Souchong Tea Perhaps the first black tea made in the world, the best coming from the hills in north Fujian, China. It is unique large leaf tea distinguished by its smoky aroma and flavour. The tarry taste is acquired through drying over pine wood fires.

History of Lapsang Souchong Tea The legend about the origin of Lapsang Souchong is that the smoking process was discovered by accident. An army is said to have camped in a tea factory that was full of drying leaves which had to be moved to accommodate the soldiers. When the soldiers left, the leaves needed to be dried quickly, so the workers lit open fires of pinewood to speed up the drying. The tea reached the market on time and a new flavour had been created. The real story about why these teas from Fujian province have a smoky flavour is that in the early 17th century when the Chinese tea producers began to export their teas to Europe and America, their traditional green teas did not travel well and quickly lost quality during the 15-18 month journey across land and sea. The producers developed a method of rolling, oxidising and drying their teas so that they would hold their quality for longer. Once the teas had been oxidised, they were spread on bamboo baskets which were placed on racks in the drying room. This was built over ovens that allowed the heat to rise up through vents in the ceiling and into the drying room above.

To fire the ovens, the tea manufacturers used the local pine wood from the forests that surrounded (and still surround) the factories, and as the wood slowly burned, it gave off a certain amount of smoke that was absorbed by the drying tea and gave it a lightly smoked, sappy, pine character. In 1604, the Dutch began to import Lapsang Souchong to the West. At that time,it was regarded as a precious medicine and sold at pharmacies. The Dutch dominated the trade in Lapsang Souchong until 1669 when the English imported it on a commercial scale. By the time the English East India Company began trading in tea, lapsang Souchong was well established at the English courts, where it was no longer valued for its medicinal benefits, but was drunk as an invigorating beverage. According to historical records,It was Princess Catherine who in 1662 brought Lapsang Souchong tea to England. She was a Portuguese and was married to Prince Charles. Her passion for Lapsang Souchong helped to promote the tea in England. Lapsang Souchong was treated as a luxury drink in England,France, Dutch and The Netherlands.

In England itself,Lapsang Souchong tea is recognized as the representative of Chinese Tea and used to serve England’s Royal Family so it was known as the Royal Black Tea in England. Tea Garden in Guadun,Tongmu It is said the name of Lapsang Souchong came from Wuyi Rock Tea (武夷岩茶). In fact,most tea experts thought Lapsang Souchong originated from oolong tea . Its name was recorded as early as year 1734 when the name Souchong or Xiao-zhong was referred to as the best quality tea trees grown at the rocky area of Wuyi mountain which was used to produce oolong tea . Growing Area of Lapsang Souchong Tea The original producing area of Lapsang Souchong is Tongmu village located in Xingcun township,Wuyishan city,Fujian province. Tea gardens at Tongmu village are scattered around the Wuyi Mountain,a natural reserve. Primary forest there produces large amount of defoliation which becomes ideal fertilizer for tea trees. The forest combined with huge temperature difference and sufficient rainfall create distinctive climatic and geographic environment for the production of Lapsang Souchong.

Generally speaking,the higher the tea leaves plucked,the better the quality of finished tea. In Tongmu,Guadun, Mali and Guangping are among several famous areas which are considered to produce Lapsang Souchong of superior quality. Tea Cultivar and Plucking season of Lapsang Souchong The Caicha of Lapsang Souchong Due to the high elevation area and low temperature, the only cultivars that survive under the extreme conditions is the Wuyi caicha (武夷菜茶). The first flush comes rather late because of relatively lower temperature in Tongmu. The plucking season starts around the second week of May. The earliest grown-up and fully developed buds are called Zhu-ya (驻芽, which means fresh leaves without buds)which signal the beginning of harvesting. Unlike the other Chinese black tea which is made using 1 bud and 1-3 leaves and is valued for large amount of buds. Lapsang Souchong is produced with first two to three leaves that is much maturer.

Production Process of Lapsang Souchong Tea Fresh tea leaves of Lapsang Souchong 萎凋 (Wei diao) -Withering After plucking,the leaves are withered over pine wood fires. In the Wuyi mountainous area,the withering has to be carried out with additional heat from burning pine firewood because of the shortage of sunny days. It is a common practice in the production of tea of Wuyi Mountain including Lapsang Souchong, The firewood is burned with a strong fire (明火 Ming-huo),generating heat to help water evaporate but which only does not contribute to the smoky flavor of end product. Tea leaves is placed on bamboo mat,piled at 3-7 cm thick,and the mat is placed on the wooden rack. At the bottom of rack,pine wood is collected and burned. In the withering room,the atmospheric temperature is controlled at 30˚C,and the tea leaves are turned over and mixed well every 20 minutes. When the leaves become soft and are not shiny anymore,they are removed from the wooden rack and placed on the floor to cool down.

The leaves are then to be rolled into taut strips (called 揉捻Rou-nian,which means maceration). 发酵 (Fa xiao) - Oxidation - Production of fragrance and color Lapsang Souchong Withering Process After the rolling process,tea leaves are placed into woodenbarrels and covered with cloth to allow enzymatic oxidation to take place. At high altitudes of the mountainous area,the tea leaves are gathered together and kept in the barrels in order to maintain the optimum temperature for enzymatic reaction. When it gets cooler,the barrels will be placed near the cook-stove to keep tea leaves warm. When 80% of the tea leaves have turned into a copper color and begun to emit their own pleasant fragrance,the oxidation is sufficient. 过红锅 (Guo hong guo - chao) - Pan frying - inactivation of enzyme Unlike any other black tea which is dried immediately after the oxidation process,Lapsang Souchong tea is instead pan fried before drying. During the pan-frying session,the high temperature in a short time will inactive the enzyme instantly,prevent prolonged oxidation and stabilize the quality and characteristic of fermented tea leaves prior to long hour drying (8-10 hours).

When the pan temperature reaches 200˚C,oxidized tea leaves is placed into the pan and fried. It takes 2-3 min to give off the greenish and grassy smell of tea leaves,further improving the aromatic fragrance of tea leaves. 复揉 (Fu rou) - Second Rolling While the fried tea leaves remain hot,it is quickly macerated for the second time. The tea leaves are rolled and tightened,more tea fluid is squeezed out and remains on the leaves’ surface. The expression of the juice over the leaf particles increases the strength (i.e. the soluble matter in the liquor when brew). In addition,it helps to absorb the smoke during the later stage. 熏焙 (Xun bei) - Drying with Small Fire In China,regardless of what is green tea,black tea or yellow tea,the common final step is drying in the bamboo basket called Hong Long(烘笼) that is heated over burning firewood. However,for Lapsang Souchong tea,there are two critical differences which contribute to the Dried Longan aroma and smoky flavor: Unlikely any other kind of tea,pine tree was used as the firewood for Lapsang Souchong.

Pine tree contains amber (琥珀 Hu-po), i.e., the fossilized pine tree resin. For the other teas,they are dried with strong flame (明火Ming-huo) throughout. However,Lapsang Souchong is dried with strong flame during the first drying stage to reduce the moisture content to 20%. Later,when the burning of pine wood is suppressed, the additional drying with smoldering fire (文火 “Wen-huo”) is carried out until the tea leaf is dried to moisture under 5%. Due to the incomplete combustion,the smoldering pine fire generates smoke containing vaporized amber essence,which absorbed by tea leaves gives Lapsang souchong typical pine smoke flavor. The drying process takes 8-10 hours in order to ensure complete drying and develop the distinctive flavor of Lapsang Souchong. In addition,this crucial step also gives rise to the luster dark reddish color (乌润 Wu-run) of tea leaf because of amber essence absorbed by dried tea leaves. In the past,it is widely believed that Lapsang Souchong tea has the typical dried longan flavor as the result of unique tea leaf used – it is proven to be wrong.

Another tea cultivar, Zheng-he Xiao-zhong (政和小种, tea cultivar named after the Zheng-he County in Fujian Province), was used to produce both Keemun black tea and Lapsang Souchong. The result is that only Lapsang Souchong tea gave the dried longan flavor not the Keemun black tea . Apparently, the crucial drying process using smoldering pine fire is the decisive step in making Lapsang Souchong tea with unique dried longan aroma and smoky flavor. Quality Inspection Criteria For Lapsang Souchong Tea Shape of Tea Leaf Leaf is thick,robust,tightly rolled taut strips, not containing buds. Color of Tea Leaf Leaf in dark black color looks glossy and lustrous. Consistency of Tea Leaf The good quality tea consists of pieces of leaf of fairly even size. If the tea is of inferior quality,the leaf is mixed with lots of bold leaves which are flat,loose and large. It is made from old leaves which contains high levels of fiber that is hard to be rolled into tight strips. When brewed,it always gives thinner taste and lighter color.

In addition,poor quality tea contains a lot of broken and light pieces due to the improper handling and the finished tea that is not well sifted. Cleanliness The well-made tea must be free from extraneous matter such as fiber,bamboo or wooden flakes,sand or stone,dust. Stalk is unavoidable as the leaf is plucked during summer,but must be at minimal level, e.g. a few pieces per gram. Aroma of Tea Dried leaf gives off distinct dried Longan and smoky smells. When brewed,the liquor gives the same aromatic profile. For authentic Lapsang Souchong tea,after brewing,the dried Longan smell remains on the brewed leaves Water Color When brewed,the tea produces a liquor with luster and bright reddish brown color. In a cup,the authentic Lapsang Souchong produces a bright golden ring which appears near the edge of liquor to the cup. The golden ring is the sign that tea leaves are rich in theaflavins that is vital for good quality tea. Taste Like dates (枣 Zao),smooth,thick,the taste in an intensive strength lingers on tongue and mouth.

Authentic one is far different from the commercial versions which often gives a harsh astringency or roughness in taste. Brewed Tea Leaf The brewed leaves of good quality show a bright brownish red color which is very consistent and even. When touched with the finger,you feel leaves are thick,soft and elastic. If the tea is of poor quality,leaves are a mixture of greenish brown and reddish color. When touched,you feel it is thin and stiff. You can also spot thick and coarse leaf veins. In addition,the green spots found on the surface of tea leaves indicate insufficient oxidation while dull,dark leaves without brightness tell inappropriate production process.

Question: Lapsong souchong is a type of what?
Answer: Tea