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Non-smoky Lapsang Souchong Wild Black Tea

$33.00

A young monk asked the wise tea master Lao Cha:

– Oh my, Teacher, what is this great tea we are drinking?!

– It's the father of all the Red Teas – Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong. This tea comes from the famous Wuyi Mountain in Fujian, where it grows wild, covered from the harsh sun by rich forest and year-round mist. Pay respect to its rich history while enjoying its sweet taste and longans aroma.

 

Lapsang Souchong, also known as Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong, is the oldest black tea in the world. However, it differs greatly from our Wild Smoky Lapsang Souchong black tea. Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong wild black tea is not smoky at all but instead possesses a unique sweetness and depth of flavor like no other.

Growing wild in the original birthplace of black tea – the Wuyi Mountains, the tea bushes enjoy rich forests, heavy mist, and the freshest mountain water. They form a symbiosis with other native plant species that assists the survival and thriving of all species. Additionally, the high altitude blocks the development of plant diseases. Thus, the trees do not require fertilization or pesticide usage. Trimming and cutting are also not practiced. The wild plants (Ye Sheng) have a well-developed vertical root system reaching deep into the ground. It absorbs the rich nutrients that form the unique flavor of this wild Chinese black tea.

Our Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong wild black tea has a unique aroma of dried longans. The brew is continuously smooth, without the slightest hint of astringency. We are truly proud to carry this rare and remarkable tea. A sip alone is sure to leave a strong impression on any connoisseur.

Wuyi Shan


Today's market is flooded with tea, calling itself Zhengshan Xiaozhong. However, the core production area of this special kind of black tea is tiny. It comprises 12 villages within the Tongmu Guan area in Wu Yi Mountain. The Tongmu village in the center of this area was the birthplace of black tea almost 400 years ago. Today, it is an area of protected designation of origin (PDO).

The farmers maintain the authentic way of processing the tea leaves for this Wild Lapsang Souchong to this day. They pick them in the morning and spread them to wither in the shade. After that, they roll them for a long time till the juice starts to ooze out of the leaves. They then leave the tea masse to oxidize for hours before the final drying stage. The result is a tea with a complex sweet taste, hiding honey and ripe fruit notes. It pairs with a mellow, rich mouthfeel and a long, satisfying finish.

The signature fragrance of dried longan fruit can be traced only to Zhengshan Xiaozhong which is growing in the core production area of Tongmu Guan. The rest of the Xiaozhong black tea only has sweet potato aroma notes. Our Wild Lapsang Souchong is growing at 1300m up in the WuYi Mountain, at the heart of the Tongmu Guan. It carries the traditional craft and authentic taste of Chinese black tea at its best.

 

  • Place of OriginTong Mu Guan, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China
  • Altitude: 1300m
  • Harvest Time: April 2023
  • Picking Standard: One bud and two leaves
  • Aroma: Pleasant longan aroma
  • Taste: Strong flavor of honey and caramel with hints of sweet potato and rich mouthfeel 
  • Cultivar: Wild Cai Cha

 

Brewing guidelines:

      195℉ / 90℃

1g per 50ml   3-4min    

    1g per 20ml   5sec + 5sec for each subsequent infusion


Customer Reviews

Based on 25 reviews
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B
Brandon Storey
Wonderful experience

Non-Smokey Lapsang was a beautiful earthy sweetness that gave me an incredible sense of historical fervor, reading that it is the “father of red teas”. I could taste the history and careful implementation of process and delicate work at hand, to create a mellow, yet flavorful tea.

C
Caoimhe
Pairs wonderfully with food

As an American raised with a minimal knowledge of tea, Path of Cha has taught me a lot about the different varieties and the nuances within categories of tea. I have tried a wide variety of teas from their site, but this is my favorite so far.
I would never have guessed that a tea could pair so perfectly with rich meat and bread while still having a smooth taste independently. Paired with food, it has wonderful sweet fruit notes and has enough strength of flavour to not be lost in other tastes. When drunk on its own, it has a savoury richness that is like no other tea I have yet tasted.
I wholeheartedly recommend this tea!

M
MHC
Nirvana

I first tasted this tea years ago in Wuyi and brought some home but when it was finished, I could never find it again. I’d tell people it was the “original” Lapsong Souchong, not the heavy, tarry creosote tasting kind commonly sold everywhere. I’m so glad that Path of Cha not only sells it, but gave me the real Chinese name for it. This tea is full of so many tastes: rich,fruity, fragrant, cocoa, a bit malty put all together deeply satisfying. It is one of the few teas I actually enjoy drinking English style with all the flavors fully developed at once instead of gongfu. In the fall and winter I look forward at night to waking up to it in the morning.

A
ALBERTO GARRIGA
Top Notch

Superb honey Cocoa taste, very smooth ..
Superb Non - Smoky Lapsang Souchang .. I just ordered more 😎😎

J
Jan Ellen Honeycutt
Non smoky

I really wonder where this tea has been all my life?
Yup that nice... dreamy