Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
Blended especially for Upton Tea Imports, this tea is a pleasing and subtly complex variation on a rich, smoky classic. The perfect gift for the Lapsang Souchong drinker who seeks a less smoky cup.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Lapsang Souchong Black Dragon is a very interesting Lapsang Souchong. It is, as the description above suggests, less smoky. This is evident even in my very first impressions of the tea when I first opened the package and smelled it. Smoky, yes, but, it wasn’t an overwhelming smoky aroma.
I didn’t follow the brewing parameters from Upton, instead, I first gave the leaves a “rinse” – a fifteen second infusion and then I tossed the liquid and re-steeped the leaves for 3 minutes.
And this is one of the nicer Lapsang Souchong teas I’ve yet to taste and the reason is because it’s less smoky than the typical Lapsang Souchong. I like the lighter smoky taste, which allows me to explore some of the fruity notes of the tea – which seem to be highlighted because of the smoke, but they’re something that I don’t really enjoy quite as much as I am here because the smoke tends to be so overpowering for my palate.
But not with this Black Dragon! This is smoky but not too smoky. I’m tasting delightful notes of fruit. Notes of pine and a pleasant caramel-y sweetness. It’s very smooth until the tail when I note a slightly dry astringency.
It’s a lighter bodied Lapsang Souchong, which are usually much stronger and bolder in flavor (and in smoke). But I like that. I like the lighter approach of the Black Dragon. If you’re one who tends to shy away from Lapsang Souchong because of that heavy smoky essence, I think you’ll find that this is much more appealing.
