Black Smoking

Our Black Smoking (烟熏正山小种) is a premium smoked black tea consisting of Camellia sinensis leaves that may be smoke-dried over a pinewood fire. This smoking is accomplished either as a cold smoke of the raw leaves as they are processed or as a hot smoke of previously processed (withered and oxidized) leaves. The intensity of the smoke aroma can be varied by locating the leaves closer or farther (or higher or lower in a multi-level facility) from the source of heat and smoke or by adjusting the duration of the process. The flavour and aroma of smoked lapsang souchong is described as containing empyreumatic notes, including wood smoke, pine resin, smoked paprika, and dried longan; it may be mixed with milk but is not bitter and usually not sweetened with sugar.

The tea originates from the Wuyi Mountains region of Fujian and is considered a Wuyi Rock Tea. It is also produced in Taiwan. It has been labelled as smoked tea (熏茶), smoky souchong, tarry lapsang souchong and lapsang souchong crocodile. In addition to its consumption as a tea, it is also used in stock for soups, stews and sauces or otherwise as a spice or seasoning.