Lapsang souchong Tong mu / 桐木正山小种 - Zheng Shan Wang 正山王

This Lapsang Souchong (正山小种) is made from older tea trees growing wild and uncultivated in the mountains of Fujian, China. Its character is subtle and complex. It has a nice creamy feeling, and strong aromatics suggestive of mint and lavender, accompanied by a caramel/honey sweetness and hints of orange citrus rind. The leaves for this tea were not given an early spring pluck to make Jin Jun Mei (a popular bud-only black tea), but were left alone until they grew large enough to harvest for Lapsang. There are four main styles of Lapsang Souchong (正山小种) - Smoked, Fruity, Floral, and Wild.

Typically known for its strong smoky flavors and aroma, this Lapsang tea from wild bushes was left unsmoked, allowing its sweet and rich natural flavors to shine. It was grown in China’s Wuyi mountains, an area famous for its high quality oolong teas, though which has in recent years developed a reputation for producing exquisite black teas such as this as well.

Origin - Fujian, China

Location - Tong Mu Guan

Elevation - 3,900ft

Harvest - Spring ‘24

Cultivar - Wuyi Qi Zhong

Tastes Like - Lavender, Caramel, Orange Rind