Happy National Compliment Day! Unsmoked Lapsang Souchong is one of my very favorite teas!
I’ve technically reviewed this before, under the listing for Dazzle Deer (as I hadn’t realized at the time they wholesaled from Teavivre), though I’m fairly certain that was a 2017 harvest (review is here: https://steepster.com/mastressalita/posts/379074 ). This is an April 2018 harvest of the same tea, which I bought from Path of Cha, which, like Dazzle Deer, also wholesales a small selection of Teavivre items, so you don’t have to buy freaking 100g at a time (which I refuse to do).
Used 2.5g of tea for 350ml 195F water, steeped for 3 minutes. The aroma of the steeped tea is warm spices, honeyed oranges, and a slight smokiness that, when combined with the sweet citrusy scent, reminds me of BBQ sauce.
The flavor is warm and inviting. It’s a bit malty/bready, with a lovely light smokiness, and some notes of sweet potatoes, honey, orange peel, and a very subtle hint of cocoa. It has such a lovely, smooth liquor.
While I don’t like this unsmoked lapsang as much as the sample I had from Whispering Pines once (that particular one had this amazing rose note to it), this is still a staple Chinese black for me.
Flavors: Bread, Cocoa, Fruity, Honey, Malt, Orange, Orange Zest, Smooth, Spices, Sweet Potatoes, Umami
Preparation
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I didn’t know they sold one! Funny enough, I ordered some from the Trident Cafe in Colorado and What-Cha. They’re probably hands down my top black teas with Taiwanese ones.
Mastress Alita, I saw it on Teavivre’s website, but like you, I didn’t want to order 100 g of an unfamiliar tea. Maybe I’ll get a sample in my next order. I also ordered some from What-Cha, and based on the smell, it’ll be good. Yunnan Sourcing has some nice unsmoked lapsangs as well.
I adore this tea!
I haven’t tried any others besides the Teavivre and a (long ago) Whispering Pines offering, but I would always be down to try more unsmoked/wild lapsangs!
@Leafhopper: At the very least, 25g and 50g sizes of several of Teavivre’s offerings (though nowhere near their whole catalog) can be obtained from Path of Cha, which is what I did. I just can’t go through the giant bags they sell to order direct. (I really wish more tea sites would stop making 100g/4oz minimum purchase sizes…)
Pretty sure this was the first unsmoked lapsang I ever tried and it was so tasty!
Mastress Alita, Path of Cha charges $20 for international shipping, so it’s not really an option for me. Teavivre may give me too much tea, but at least the shipping is usually free! I agree with you that 100 g is just way too much leaf unless you’re drinking it regularly, so I usually order their premium teas, which come in a more manageable 50 g size.
I didn’t know they sold one! Funny enough, I ordered some from the Trident Cafe in Colorado and What-Cha. They’re probably hands down my top black teas with Taiwanese ones.
Mastress Alita, I saw it on Teavivre’s website, but like you, I didn’t want to order 100 g of an unfamiliar tea. Maybe I’ll get a sample in my next order. I also ordered some from What-Cha, and based on the smell, it’ll be good. Yunnan Sourcing has some nice unsmoked lapsangs as well.
I adore this tea!
I haven’t tried any others besides the Teavivre and a (long ago) Whispering Pines offering, but I would always be down to try more unsmoked/wild lapsangs!
@Leafhopper: At the very least, 25g and 50g sizes of several of Teavivre’s offerings (though nowhere near their whole catalog) can be obtained from Path of Cha, which is what I did. I just can’t go through the giant bags they sell to order direct. (I really wish more tea sites would stop making 100g/4oz minimum purchase sizes…)
Pretty sure this was the first unsmoked lapsang I ever tried and it was so tasty!
Mastress Alita, Path of Cha charges $20 for international shipping, so it’s not really an option for me. Teavivre may give me too much tea, but at least the shipping is usually free! I agree with you that 100 g is just way too much leaf unless you’re drinking it regularly, so I usually order their premium teas, which come in a more manageable 50 g size.