Lapsang Souchong

I went to a tea shop to buy black tea, and asked for their recommendations. They suggested a Lapsang Souchong, which I was able to sample.

Lapsang Souchong, from Fujian Province’s Wuyi Mountains, is a globally famous black tea. Its unique feature is said to be a characteristic smoky aroma, created by undergoing a smoking process.

Freshly boiled water is allowed to cooled slightly (to 203℉/95℃), and is poured into a gaiwan filled one-third with tea leaves. After waiting 30 seconds, I opened the lid and a fruity, brilliant aroma gently wafted up.

The water is a clear, pretty, faint orange color. In the first steep, I can sense a not-too-strong apple-like aroma. In my mouth, an umami more like that of a carefully-prepared soup stock rather than tea unfurls on my tongue, and I reflexively let out a sigh. I was able to freely enjoy the umami from the very first steep. Perhaps because it was carefully prepared for me by someone else, I could focus fully on savoring it.

From the second infusion, a richness appeared, changing into a slightly more complex lychee-like flavor. It has a deep, mellow taste, like drinking red wine.

It is said that Lapsang Souchong tends to have a smoky aroma, but the smokiness is almost imperceptible. It only gracefully, faintly drifts in the back of the nose. Although the Lapsang Souchong popular in Europe seems to have a strong smokiness, it appears that such a strong aroma is not preferred in China. So, apparently the Lapsang Souchong drunk within China frequently has no smoke smell.

As I listened to that explanation, I drank many cups of tea, feeling my blood circulating through my body and becoming pleasantly warm. I liked the tea, so I bought some to enjoy on chilly mornings and headed home.

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