­

Organic Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

Crisp and smooth with strong distinct smoky flavor reminiscent of a campfire

fair trade certified certified organic
Organic Lapsang Souchong Black Tea
$3.00 - $19.75
Orders over $60 ship free in USA
 
 
 
 
 

Organic Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

compostable-tea-packaging-1.jpg

This Fair Trade Certified organic tea from the Fujian province of China is smoked during manufacture, giving it a distinctive flavor and aroma, sometimes referred to as tarry. It has a light body, with a smooth crisp character and a very prominent, heady aroma of a pine wood fire.

Legend claims that the smoking process that produces this remarkable organic black tea was discovered by accident. During the Qing dynasty, an army unit passing through the village of Xingcun camped in a tea factory filled with fresh leaves awaiting processing. When the soldiers left and the workers could get back into the factory, they realized that to arrive at market in time, it was too late to dry the leaves in the usual fashion. So they lit open fires of pine wood to hasten the drying. Not only did the tea reach the market in time, but the smoked pine flavor created a sensation! Today, this organic tea from China is dried over smoking pine fires in order to absorb the smoke flavor. Lapsang Souchong is generally consumed with sugar, milk and/or lemon.

Ingredients: organic and Fair Trade Certified Chinese black tea

What are Scented Teas?

Organic Tea from Jiangxi Province, China

Scented teas begin with the same top-quality organic tea as our non-scented teas, but are exposed to a particular scent during manufacturing. As a result, the tea absorbs and retains the aroma throughout its lifetime. Some of the most well known scented teas are combined with flowers such as jasmine, magnolia, and osmanthus. Others, such as Lapsang Souchong, are more savory and scented with smoke. Scented teas are often confused with flavored teas (which is why we include them in our flavored tea categories), but are technically unflavored. Sometimes, inferior forms of scented tea are mimicked by using a flavoring - rest assured, you’ll never find these among our catalog.

Steeping Instructions

lapsang-souchong-tea-steeping-instructions.jpg

At Arbor Teas, we believe tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. We’re happy to make recommendations to get you started, but don’t hesitate to experiment! When brewing your tea, your main considerations are tea quantity, water temperature, and steeping time. We recommend black teas to be steeped for 3 to 5 minutes in water heated to a full, rolling boil. For the best flavor, use fresh water whenever possible, and avoid overboiling. Try not to steep your tea longer than necessary, as you’ll extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves. If you want a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea. And don’t forget to re-steep your tea leaves to get the most out of your leaf!

Looking for more info? Check out our How-To Guides and Eco-Brewing Tips!

Staff Perspectives

  • Chelsea

    "I often brew a strong batch of this and freeze it into ice cubes for interesting cocktails! I also like cooking with this to add a smoky flavor to dishes. I love how versatile this tea is!"

  • Sarah

    "This is a family favorite! Even my 10 year old likes it! My husband and I always seem to brew it on a Saturday afternoon after spending the morning with the kids."

  • Aubrey

    "This tea reminds me of liquid smoke floating in my mouth - a unique experience."

Health Benefits

tea-health-3.jpg

Like all true tea, black tea offers many potential health benefits. Research has found that tea (Camellia sinensis) can have many positive effects on human health, including improved cardiovascular function, cancer risk reduction, improved immune function, improved oral health, and help with weight management. Tea is also full of polyphenols, which are a class of antioxidant that help your body maintain homeostasis and balance your stress levels. Black tea specifically has been found to regulate blood sugar in diabetics better than other types of tea, according to a study done by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

For more information about the health benefits of black tea and other types of tea, and for direct sources of the above information, check out our Tea Health Benefits page!

Please note: the information above is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Russian Samovar Tea

samovar-and-russian-tea.jpg

Given the significant influence Asian culture has had on Russia through the years, it is no wonder that Russians are big tea drinkers. The samovar, which is somewhat of a cross between a hot water heater and teapot, is one of many examples of this influence - it is presumed to have evolved from the Tibetan hot pot. The function of this unique apparatus, and the Russian method of taking tea, is rather different than we are accustomed to in the west. Instead of heating tea water on the stove, wood or charcoal is traditionally burned within the samovar itself to accomplish this task (modern samovars often use an electric heating element, however). A small teapot sits on top of the samovar, in which a dark, concentrated brew is made, called zavarka. Hot water from the samovar is used to dilute this tea when served. Dark Indian or Chinese black teas are commonly used, often coupled with herbal or fruit teas and enjoyed with lemon and/or jam. Russian Caravan, a blend of black teas with a slightly smoky flavor, is a favorite. To this day, samovars remain a focal point of the Russian home.

For even more information about this and other traditions, visit our Tea Traditions Page!

Customer Reviews

We always want to hear from you! Post your own review and earn 10 rewards points.
Write a Review
  • 2
    Charred Ash Flavor

    Posted by William Hewett on 27th Oct 2024

    This version of Lapsang lacks any of the smoked piney sweetness of the ones I love. It tastes like charcoal, the last remnants of a fire.

  • 5
    A Robust Campfire Flavor

    Posted by Adela on 17th Jul 2024

    One of my favorite smells is the smoky scent of clothes in the morning after a night around a campfire. Lapsang Souchong evokes that for me. I gravitate towards robust teas. I drink Lapsang nearly everyday with a bit of oatmilk and occasionally a touch of maple syrup. By the reactions of those around me, I understand it is very much an acquired taste. Try starting with a sample or try Russian Caravan first if you are uncertain. Lapsang is not subtle.

  • 3
    First time trying

    Posted by Haley on 14th Jul 2024

    This is my first time trying lapsang souchong. The smoky smell is a lot stronger than the taste to me. I don't dislike the smoke, and it was fun to try, but won't replace my other favorite black teas.

  • 4
    Love the smokiness!

    Posted by Reggie on 30th Nov 2023

    I never realized there was such a thing as a smoked tea until I wandered onto the Arbor Teas website. And thanks to the sample sizes, I had no qualms about giving it a try. Wow! The smoke flavor is unmistakeable - this tea delivers what Lapsang Souchong is known for, and you can smell it immediately when you open the bag or the hot water hits the leaves! I should probably give it five stars, but I had to dial back a little bit to the level of smoke in Russian Caravan. I do love Chelsea's idea of freezing a strong batch for cocktails, though, so I may have to get some more soon!

  • 2
    Smoke bomb

    Posted by Chris on 28th Nov 2023

    It's like you steeped the coals from your campfire. Very smoky. I'd definitely recommend starting with a sample.

  • Show All Reviews