Lapsang Souchong

I first discovered Lapsang Souchong courtesy of Russian Caravan, one of my favorite teas.  I picked up a sample of the Russian Caravan from Special Teas a few years ago, and was both taken aback and intrigued by the smoke...who had ever heard of smoky tea?  Some minimal research identified the active ingredient, so to speak, as the unique Lapsang Souchong...a black tea from China that is dried over a pine fire, which is both really cool, and a relief, as I'd first assumed artificial smoke flavoring, an evil food additive.  Smoke should be come by honestly!

For a long time, I much preferred Russian Caravan to the straight up smoke of Lapsang Souchong.  Russian Caravan is Lapsang blended with Keemun and other Chinese black teas, which gives it a balanced, all around profile...sort of the way I preferred the smoky but balanced flavor of a Talisker or Springbank to an Islay single malt.  But an odd thing happened this winter...I started to really enjoy smoke!  I found myself really enjoying Islay Scotches, and going to the Russian Caravan more often.  In my first real post here, I made a lot of comparisons between the smoke of Lapsang and that of Scotch whisky, and though there are similarities, it's not really the same kind of smoke... the tea is more reminiscent of burning pine logs in a fireplace or campfire, while an Islay smells and tastes more of a damp peat fire.

So, Friday found the wife and I at Mrs. Bridge's, our local teahouse, and I thought, I've been digging smoke, it's been a good while since I've tried straight Lapsang.  The pot came out, smelling like a campfire, perfect for a chilly March afternoon.  Like all things smoky, Lapsang Souchong is an October through March proposition; I don't crave anything smoky in the summer, but it fits so well in the Fall through early Spring.  The tea was absolutely wonderful:  huge smoke in the nose, with a good body and a surprisingly mellow flavor profile.  I think in my mind, I always picture Lapsang as this big, heavy tea, but behind the phenols, it's actually fairly light; the body is sturdy, but without the full, thick feel of an Assam, and there is really no astringency at all.  Lapsang stands on its own well enough, but I prefer it with the addition of milk and sugar.  The milk thickens the body, while the sweetener provides a really nice balance to the smoke.  I'm not sure what changed in my taste buds over this winter, but Lapsang Souchong has moved up from an occasional cup to a cupboard staple.  Score:  95 (A)

Smoky Russian Caravan...the Talisker of teas?

Smoky Russian Caravan is a blended black tea, made to emulate the style of Russian tea from the days of trade caravans running from China to Russia.  Russian Caravan is a tasty and interesting blend, smoky yet balanced.  In fact, the best comparison I can make is to Springbank or Talisker, smoky yet balanced single malt scotches.  The smoke in Russian Caravan comes from Lapsang Souchong, a mellow Chinese black tea that is dried by smoking over a fire, traditionally pinewood, which is blended with Keemun and another unspecified Chinese black tea.

Russian Caravan smells great on a cold winter afternoon.  Quality Lapsang Souchong has a deep, rich smokiness, and the aroma is a lot like a campfire.  In fact, if we continue with our scotch comparison (I'll probably do that a lot), Lapsang Souchong is like an Islay single malt.  The Keemun imparts a strong malty flavor, with a hint of dried fruit.  Keemun is often used in English Breakfast blends, and although it's not one of my favorites, it works very well here, adding some malt and natural sweetness to the campfire smoke.  This tea has a nice smooth feel in the mouth, coating the tongue nicely, and with very little astringency.  Curiously, the smoke diminishes throughout the cup, though it remains on the nose.  The flavors linger on the tongue for a while like a good scotch, and leave a mild aftertaste of smoke.

I purchased this as a loose tea from Special Teas, a nice tea website based out of Stratford, CT.  I made this in my tea ball, with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of tea for a 10 oz. mug, and let it brew for about 3 minutes.  A splash of milk and a spoonful of agave nectar, my usual sweetener of choice, rounded out my cup.

Overall, a solid B.  A great pick-me-up for cold weather, and a fine tea for scotch enthusiasts.