The symbol to the right is Chá, the Chinese symbol for Tea.
My latest taste test to report on is the Lapsang Souchong that we purchased from Acquired Tastes Tea Company. I did the tasting as this is a tea that Mrs. EB doesn’t even like to smell.
Tea type & form: Black Tea; leaves are fresh picked and withered to remove moisture then twisted and rolled. After the leaves are oxidized, they are cured over smoking pine log fires.
What they say: A Chinese black tea where smoke has been introduced to the tealeaf during the drying process. Carefully withered and dried over fragrant pinewood fire, this tea from the Fujian province of China is famous for its smoky fragrance and malty flavor.The result is a strong tea with a distinctive tarry character. An acquired taste!
Preparation method: Use 1 teaspoon of loose leaves for each 8 oz. cup. Pour water of 200° F or 95° C over the leaves and let steep or infuse for 3-4 minutes. Strain and enjoy or with your favorite additives.
Review: Lapsang Suchong is definitely a tea you either like or hate. Once steeped the room smells like a camp fire has been burning. The smoke is very noticeable in the taste of the tea. Behind the smoke is a slighly malty taste that tries to sneak through. A very dark colored tea its rich aroma and flavor is not for everyday drinking but for those special times when something different is needed. This is a tea you should buy a sampler of or taste at a tea house before you spend money on purchasing any quantity.
