Organic Lapsang Souchong (ZS85)

The last of the Lapsang Doulton sent me. I was feeling the need for this quite acutely this morning. I’ve been up for some 2½ hours and I still feel like I only just rolled out of bed. I believe it has something to do with the way I got out of said bed. Chimney sweeps. They need access to all the flats to clean the air vents and such and they were making a god-awful racket long before I was even remotely finished sleeping. The note that was passed around beforehand just had the date on it, but no estimate as to when to expect them, so I had to get up and get dressed right away. It could be five hours or it could be five minutes before it was my turn. I think it took about half an hour before they got to my door and then they were here for ten minutes or so. But my whole morning has been shot to bits. At least it’s wednesday, so I’m not going to work also.

And then just before someone rang my doorbell again and I have no clue who it was. I’m expecting a package, but it’s too early still to be the postman. The chimney sweeps said they were done when they left. I couldn’t open the door because I was… otherwise occupied. (I was on the throne, okay! Why do people always ring my doorbell when I can’t answer it???)

Anyway, I’m getting off topic there.

I didn’t have enough leaf left to make the cup as strong as I really wanted to, but I’m making do, because I need it. Nothing like a mouthful of smoke to wake you up in the morning (and it seemed kind of appropriate to have a smoky tea what with the chimney sweeps and all).

I can’t really remember my exact thought on it the first time I had it, but this time there seems to be a very distinct underlying sweetness. It’s not the sweet sweet note of the Golden Moon’s Lapsang, it’s sort of buried underneath everything else. Almost milky, actually.

Keeping my Black Powder blend in mind, I’m wondering if I might not have had a nice result on this one if I’d topped the leaves off with some Gunpowder green. I think this Lapsang might have been able to carry that quite nicely. Too late now. No more leaf. I’m not sure my other Lapsangs would be entirely suitable for that experiment, being a little sweeter and a little more subdued than this one.

(Also, I’m not really here. I have found some awesome writing inspiration that I’m trying to concentrate on and take advantage of, so that’s why I probably don’t seem to be paying attention to my Steepsterites. If I don’t go through your posts, I won’t check back all the time for new notifications, you see. I’ve skimmed through all quick-like but that’s it)