2022 Tongmu Traditional Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

This traditional Lapsang Souchong (or Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong 正山小种) comes from Guwankeng Village in Tongmu, located within the core protected area of Wuyishan. The region’s iron- and aluminum-rich red soils, frequent cloud cover, and old tea trees provide ideal conditions for producing deeply structured black tea.

Leaves are harvested from old Wuyi Caicha trees using a one-bud-two- to three-leaf standard to ensure fullness of flavor. Processing follows classic smoked Lapsang methods using pinewood-fired smoke houses know as Qing Lou. The tea undergoes withering with pinewood smoke, rolling, oxidation, pan-heating (or 过红锅 Guo Hong Guo, a process unique to traditional Lapsang Souchong), re-rolling, pinewood smoking, and repeated roasting, allowing pine smoke to fully penetrate the leaf.

The dry tea is dark and tightly formed. The liquor is clear amber-red. Aromas blend pine smoke with longan-like sweetness. After over three years of aging, the smoke has softened and integrated, resulting in a smooth, full-bodied cup where smoky and sweet notes unfold in layers. The finish is warm, balanced, and persistent, expressing the classic character of traditional Zhengshan Xiaozhong.