Lapsang Souchong - Adagio

I have never tasted Lapsang Souchong before, but from the comments on various blogs and forums, the impression I had was that this would be a bitter and muddy tasting tea. When I opened my sample tin from Adagio's, I was pleasantly surprised by the smoky aroma. This is a smooth tea that was only slightly astringent, certainly no more so than an improperly brewed green tea. The flavor is definately bold. It reminded me of blown out birthday candles, barbecues, and bonito shavings. Perhaps I'm weird, or maybe it's because I've been raised on bitter Chinese herbal remedies, but I found the flavor of this tea to be very mild and soothing. The smokiness of this tea is sweet, resembling the bitterness of chocolate or cigars rather than the bitter and stinging scent of cigarette smoke.

I brewed this tea with 2 cups of boiling water to 1 tablespoon of leaves which were steeped for about 5 to 7 minutes. The color of this tea is a deep brown with a slight red tint.

Lapsang Souchong is a good tea if you enjoy a strong tea with a bold flavor. This tea from Adagio's has a balanced smoky aroma that isn't overpowering or bitter. However, I can understand why many people don't like this tea. Drinking lapsang souchong is an acquired taste like drinking black coffee or smoking cigars.

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