Light Smoke Lapsang Souchong from Tong Mu Village

Lapsang Souchong is often considered too bold for many tea drinkers, but those who drink it understand the savory delicacy of gorgeous smoky pine layered with a fine black tea.  This particular lot is stellar - and the opposite of the more robust style of smoked black teas commonly available.  This Lapsang hails from the village of Tong Mu and is lovingly made into an exquisite, light style smoked black tea.  It is mellow and sweet with a light smoke to it.  It's quite beautiful.

The history of lapsang souchong is that there was a village where the villagers were just beginning to make their green tea during the Ming era. In the distance they could see a troop of soldiers headed their way. They abandoned their tea making to hide in the hills until the soldiers passed through. When the soldiers left the next day the villagers returned to find their green tea had turned black. They quickly dried the tea using pine branches, which created a lot of smoke. The smoke infused the tea. The villagers did not think the tea would sell but they put it on the market anyway. To their surprise the Europeans (Dutch at this time) really liked the tea and wanted more. Thus was born lapsang souchong. And Tong Mu is the very village where this happened.

2022 Harvest.  Cindy Chen, Tea Maker. 

No agrochemicals were used in the production of this tea.