Lapsang Souchong

Earthy

Malty

Smoky

Recyclable Packaging

Pesticide Free

Lapsang Souchong is a smoked Chinese black tea, with a strong, peaty flavour that has tantalised tea tasters for generations. The name comes from the dialect of the Fuzhou region, with La meaning “pine”, Sang  meaning “wood” and Souchong referring to the “small sort” of leaves used.

Lapsang tea dates from at least the 16th Century. Legend has it that this tea’s smoky character came about when tar from Chinese fishing nets melted into a cargo of tea that was due for shipping to Britain. An alternative story suggests that some villagers had their tea leaves ruined by a troop of passing soldiers using them as mattresses, and desperately tried to save them by drying them out over a fire. Whatever the truth of its origin story, European traders, looking for new tastes and more efficient ways of preserving leaves during transportation, were impressed. Its distinctive taste soon became much sought after. Even today, it is still often prepared in the traditional way, in pans over open fires.

In addition Lapsang Souchong, like all black teas, is packed full of health-giving compounds. It is a great source of antioxidants, such as theaflavins, thearubigins and catechins, which help reduce the number of damaging free radicals in the body. Meanwhile, its polyphenols are said to function as a prebiotic in the gut, helping the growth and maintenance of healthy bacteria. As an ever-increasing body of research into the importance of gut fauna shows, maintaining the right balance there can have all manner of positive effects, from improving digestion and the immune system to improving mental health! Some studies have indicated that compounds contained in black tea show promise in combatting conditions as diverse as cancer and Alzeimher’s disease. Regular consumption has also been shown to reduce the incidence of heart disease, reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

Lapsang Souchong also plays a vital role in the recipe for our delightfully peaty Crofter’s Chai – Seaidh a’ Chroiteir, a smoky variant on our best-selling Yogi Yogi Chai:

https://tchaiovna.com/shop/product/crofters-chai-seaidh-a-chroiteir/