Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Grey’s Teas
Tea Description:
Having a big, tippy, curly leaf, this is a most unusual and aromatic oolong from India’s northern Assam region. It is produced using the semi fermented oolong process and is smoked with an oak-like wood, unlike the pinewood used for lapsang souchong. Its aroma is unique. Brew for three minutes and drink without milk. Once tried, forever besotted!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I could smell the smoke in this Assam Smoked Oolong Tea from Grey’s Teas the moment I opened the pouch. But what I liked is that the smoke … didn’t overwhelm me. I didn’t get that “off-putting” sort of feeling when I smelled the tea … and that often happens when I encounter a really strongly smoked tea. I like that I can definitely tell that this is smoked, but it’s not an assault on my olfactory nerves.
And this is a really interesting cup of tea! I brewed this tea the way I usually brew an Oolong – in my gaiwan, using short steeps – and my first cup is the combination of infusions 1 and 2 (following a quick 15 second rinse).
The sip starts out with an immediate introduction to the smoky notes. But I can also taste the fruity qualities of this dark Oolong, and together with the smoky notes, it almost tastes as though a plum and a peach were smoked in a pit. It’s a very unique flavor.
And I can also taste floral notes … and with the smoky tones, it almost tastes as though flowers were smoked with those stone fruits. This tastes unlike any other tea I’ve ever tasted. The smoky tones are extraordinary in themselves, because this doesn’t taste like the typical “smoked” tea … the flavor is deeper, richer … more like the fire from a hearth rather than a campfire.
The second cup (infusions #3 and 4) brought a more unified taste. There is less distinction between the different flavors. I taste a little bit of sweet and savory. The smoky notes are prominent. The fruit tones are sweet and sour and the smoky tones are savory and even hint at some bitter notes, with hints of sweet, exotic flower in the distance. This cup is very smooth and has very little astringency to it. It has a very pleasant, soft mouthfeel.
As I brewed the third cup, I sort of expected some of the smoky tones to wane, but the smoke remains! It softens somewhat … but it really surprised me just how long the flavor stays with this tea.
If you’re one of those who love a good, smoky tea – you really should try this Assam Smoked Oolong from Grey’s Teas! I’m not a huge smoky tea fan … but I really enjoyed this, and it surprised me at how long the smoky tones lasted. It’s a really enjoyable and very flavorful tea!
Gingerbread Smoke Black Tea Blend from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
As for this week’s Tea of the Week, I think this is the tribute blend I should have done months ago when I released the Inscape blend. Inscape was maybe a bit too deep and complicated, whereas this one gets right to the heart of the (dark) matter.
If you haven’t read Joe Hill’s new horror novel NOS4A2 (think Nosferatu), you’re missing out. This week’s blend attempts to capture the essence of the insidious Gasmask Man’s terrible gingerbread smoke, which he uses to daze and sedate his victims. The tea is a blend of our premium black teas, ginger root pieces and just a hint of smoked lapsang souchong. It tastes a bit like the gingerbread cookies my mom used to make (she had a habit of burning cookies, but don’t tell her I said so).
Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about Zoomdweebie’s fundraising campaign to reopen the Tea Bar here.
Taster’s Review:
Recently, 52Teas released a second tribute tea for the horror novel NOS4A2 by Joe Hill … this tea: Gingerbread Smoke Black Tea Blend. And whenever there is something alluding to “smoke” in the name of a tea, I tend to be a little bit cautious. However, because there was also “gingerbread” in the name of this tea, I was actually kind of excited to try it, having LOVED the Gingerbread Chai 52Teas released a few years ago.
And I am loving this Gingerbread Smoke tea too! The smoke is not overwhelming at all. Even when I opened the package and smelled the dry leaf, I didn’t notice an overpowering smoky tone to the fragrance. Some hints of smoke … but certainly nothing that would have set off the alarm for me. The aroma smells of fresh gingerbread – with a well-defined note of ginger – and hints of smoke.
And the flavor is very much the way the scent suggests: spicy-sweet gingerbread with hints of smoke! But before I notice the gingerbread or the smoky notes, I notice the black tea base. It’s a robust yet well-rounded base, providing a satisfying background of tea flavor for these flavors. Rich, earthy, and sweet with caramel notes. Nice.
The gingerbread hits the palate next. I notice a balance of sweet and spicy here. Warm, peppery ginger and a sweet, slightly buttery, cake-like flavor. Then I notice the smoke from the Lapsang Souchong. I like the way the Lapsang Souchong is blended here — there is just enough of a smoky note to let you know that there is some Lapsang Souchong in the blend of teas, but not enough to overpower the balance of flavors.
The smoke adds just enough interest to the cup to make it a not-so-ordinary cuppa … which is exactly what I’ve come to expect from 52Teas!
Time is running out for the fundraising efforts to revive Zoomdweebies. If you haven’t yet contributed … please consider doing so! Check out what I’m talking about here.
Lapsang Souchong Black Tea from English Tea Store
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: English Tea Store
Tea Description:
The Lapsang Souchong China Tea blend from English Tea Store is a smooth crisp character with the remarkable heady aroma of a pine and oak wood fire.
The tea originates from Fujian province. The Fukienese word ‘souchong’ means subvariety – that is a subvariety of other black teas from the Wuyi mountains of Fujian. When Lapsang Souchong was first exported to western European countries and became famous on the international markets – it was no doubt due to the distinct aroma and flavor. Interestingly the best Lapsang is produced in the nature preserve located in the Wuyi mountains where the high mountains with thick pine forests and heavy mist provide the ideal environment for growing top quality tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said on many occasions, I tend to be wary of heavily smoked teas. And Lapsang Souchong … well, it really doesn’t get much smokier than that, does it? This Lapsang Souchong Black Tea from the English Tea Store is so smoky that I could smell the smoke before I even opened the tin that I had it stored in. Smokin’!
The reason for my wariness of smoky teas is that … I find the heavy smoke to be a bit off-putting. It smells to me a bit like a campfire combined with cigar smoke and I’m not … into drinking a liquefied version of that. And as I’ve mentioned a few times, my first few experiences with Lapsang Souchong have not been positive. I have since learned better ways to brew the tea so that I can enjoy it.
Here’s what I do: I bring the water to a boil and then I steep the leaves for about 10 – 15 seconds, and then I strain off the liquid and discard it. A little rinsing of the leaves. Then I steep the tea for 2 1/2 minutes in boiling water, and strain it immediately. From this process, I get a tea that is smoky, but not so smoky that I can’t lift the cup to my lips without feeling put off by the smell of smoke. It smells smoky, it tastes smoky … just not as smoky as I’d experience if I were not to do the rinse and steeped it longer for 2 1/2 minutes.
And when I say I can enjoy the tea … I really do like it! The smoky tones are still very clearly defined, but, I also taste other aspects of this tea that I really like. I taste the caramel-y undertone that sweetens every sip. It has a rich, robust taste to it that is invigorating.
No, Lapsang Souchong is not my favorite tea now. It probably never will be. But I like it now. It’s not something that I’d drink daily, but it’s something that I do enjoy about once a week … and this Lapsang Souchong from English Tea Store is a really pleasant example of a fine tea.
Formosa Lapsang from Grey’s Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Oolong Teas
Where to Buy: Grey’s Teas
Tea Description:
A most unusual tea combining the earthy characteristics of Formosa’s oolongs with the pinewood aromas of Fujian Lapsang Souchongs. The typically coarse yet deep brown leaf produces a wonderfully balanced and subtly smokey tea that is most appealing.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first opened the package of this Formosa Lapsang Blend from Grey’s Teas, it smelled much smokier than I expected it to. The Smoky tones are really strong!
I brewed this for three minutes in 195°F water following a quick 15 second rinse, and I’m really delighted with the results. The smoky tones mellow out a bit after brewing (and rinsing!) … this is not nearly as smoky tasting as I anticipated it being based on the aroma I was experiencing when I opened the package.
This is really quite nice! It is smoky, yes, but, the smoky tones are more subtle than I expected them to be. The Formosa Oolong offers a smooth, almost buttery kind of texture to the sip, which when united with the smoky notes … becomes this very soft, smooth, sophisticated kind of smoky note that is actually quite enjoyable to sip. I think that if this was the first smoky tea that I ever tried (and provided I brewed it correctly!) … I might not have been so anti-Lapsang Souchong for so many years! This would be an excellent “gateway” kind of smoky tea for those of you who fear the strong, smoky overtones of Lapsang Souchong!
It has a richness to it, although it’s not quite as sturdy or bold as, say, a black Lapsang Souchong. The Oolong lightens the cup up a little bit, while adding a nice texture to the body of the cup … so I would still categorize this as a full-bodied tea, but, just not quite as hefty as the typical straight black tea might be. It has a very pleasing flavor, especially to me, as I tend to be not so crazy about the overtly smoky teas. I like the subtle approach of the smoke here.
In addition to the smoke, I also note lovely floral notes and fruity tones in the background … like a smoked peach, if you can imagine such a thing! Delicious hints of caramel undertones. A real delight, and a very pleasant surprise, this Formosa Lapsang tea from Grey’s! I like it.
Editor’s Note: I have edited this review based on the input provided by Mr. Grey (see the comments!). When I originally reviewed it, I believed it to be a blend of Lapsang Souchong black tea and Formosa Oolong tea, and have since learned differently. It is a very good tea – regardless!
Smoky Earl Grey Tea from New Mexico Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: New Mexico Tea Company
Tea Description:
An interesting twist on the traditional Earl Grey, this tea is made with Chinese Lapsang Souchong to add a savory smoothness to the citrus notes of Bergamot. Best in the afternoon, and suggested without milk.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve tasted many variations on the classic Earl Grey tea, but, of the many different takes on the favorite, I can’t recall having a Smoky Earl Grey Tea like this one from New Mexico Tea Company. I may have had one or two other smoky Earl Grey teas with a strong smoky essence like this tea possesses … but they were apparently not very memorable because they’re not coming to mind at the moment.
But this Smoky Earl Grey is memorable. As I’ve attested in the past, I’m not a big fan of the smoky teas … and I used to shy away from Lapsang Souchong tea because the smoky quality tends to be a bit too much for me. I have since learned better ways of infusing a smoky tea, and this has lead me to have a more enjoyable experience with the heavily smoked teas. And I am glad that I’m able to bring that brewing knowledge to the teapot for this Smoky Earl Grey, because I’m really liking the result. It is indeed smoky, but, the smoke does not interfere with the tangy/sweet quality of the bergamot. Instead, they intermingle quite nicely … and create a rather unique, delicious flavor that I’m enjoying quite a bit.
The key is to “reawaken” the leaves … or do a pre-rinse of the leaves when you steep a Lapsang Souchong. Pour just under boiling water on the leaves, allow them to infuse for 15 seconds, and then strain the leaves and they’re ready to brew! I then brewed the leaves for 3 minutes. This produced a flavorful cup that is smoky … but not overwhelmingly so. The level of smoke does not overpower the flavor of the bergamot. The bergamot tastes sweeter in the presence of the smoky characteristics of the tea … I notice more of the sweeter notes of the citrus fruit than I might experience with a traditional Earl Grey.
A very enjoyable cuppa – if you’re a fan of Earl Grey … you should try this interesting twist on the classic!