This tea, made from the native Qi Zhong cultivar harvested from a naturally cultivated tea garden at an altitude of 1200m in Tong Mu Guan, has a sweet fruity aroma reminiscent of peaches and mangoes.
It has no smoky aroma whatsoever, unlike the commonly known Lapsang Souchong.
Qi Zhong, the Native Variety of Tong Mu Guan
The native tea that has been growing wild in Tong Mu Guan, Xingcun Town, Wuyi Shan, is locally called Qi Zhong.
In Japan, this type of tea is called zairai (native variety), referring to tea grown from seeds.
Tea grown from seeds develops a taproot that grows straight down into the soil like a burdock root, making it easy to absorb minerals and producing a rich, long-lasting aftertaste.
Qi Zhong, the native tea of Tong Mu Guan, is highly valued locally as a raw material for premium Lapsang Souchong.
We purchase tea directly from farmers and producers who own tea gardens in Tong Mu Guan. The tea garden where we source our Lapsang Souchong Qi Zhong is at an altitude of around 1200m, with tea trees over 100 years old.
In Tong Mu Guan, the entire village practices natural farming, and the tea garden we source from uses no pesticides or fertilizers.
As a result, the tea grows very slowly, producing a rich taste with a long-lasting aftertaste.
Lapsang Souchong: The Tea that Inspired Earl Grey
Lapsang Souchong, known as the world's first black tea, is well known among tea enthusiasts.
In 1662, when King Charles II of England married Princess Catherine of Portugal, she brought her favorite Lapsang Souchong with her, which is said to have sparked the tea boom in England.
There are many interesting stories about Lapsang Souchong. For example, it is said to be the tea that inspired the famous Earl Grey.
Earl Grey was developed when the British, impressed by the sweet fruity aroma of Lapsang Souchong, attempted to replicate that aroma by adding bergamot.
The Mystery of the Sweet Fruity Aroma of Lapsang Souchong
When reading the many legendary accounts, one cannot help but imagine Lapsang Souchong as a tea with an enchanting, sweet, fruity aroma.
However, many Lapsang Souchong teas available worldwide have a strong smoky aroma.
Many tea enthusiasts drawn to the stories of Lapsang Souchong may have been puzzled by the gap between the legend and the actual aroma.
Currently, Lapsang Souchong production in Wuyi Shan is divided into 2 types. Teas with a pine smoke aroma are mainly for export, while teas with no smoky aroma and a fruity flavor are made for domestic consumption.
Generally, teas with a smoky aroma are referred to as Traditional Style or Traditional Type, distinguishing them from teas without a smoky flavor.
The reason why many Lapsang Souchong teas available worldwide lack a fruity flavor is that many inexpensive export teas are made from tea not grown in Tong Mu Guan — known as Wai Shan Xiao Zhong — and these teas carry little fruity flavor.
Further Maturation through Charcoal Roasting
The most distinctive feature of the Lapsang Souchong Qi Zhong production method is the charcoal roasting step that follows the standard black tea processes of withering, rolling, enzyme inactivation, and drying.
This step is shared with Phoenix Dan Cong oolong tea and Wuyi oolong tea. By applying heat slowly at a low temperature, the maturation of the tea is accelerated and the fruity flavor is enhanced.
This charcoal roasting process is essential for creating the unique fruity flavor of Lapsang Souchong.
In recent years, many non-roasted or electrically roasted teas have been produced, but we insist on sourcing Lapsang Souchong roasted at low temperatures over charcoal.
