Love your tea smokey? Can't find Lapsang?

"Where can I get Lapsang Souching Tea?"

When we were out and about at the markets of Buckinghamshire, we had so many requests for a Lapsang Souchong, we could no longer ignore the voice of the people.  Twinings had apparently stopped selling it and people kept saying, "I can't find that smokey tea anymore" or "Where can I get a good Lapsang?"  So we listened!  We sourced a loose leaf Lapsang that does the job beautifully.  Full bodied, smokey, smooth..

What is Lapsang?

Lapsang is an iconic tea with a very distinctive flavour.  It is a smokey black tea. Think Islay malt or smoked salmon.    

How Lapsang is made?

The process involves leaf being exposed to pinewood smoke at various stage of manufacture. The story goes, it began almost as a mistake.  Villagers in 19th century China, under threat of attack, hurriedly dried their green leaf with whatever was available to avoid losing their precious crop.  The fuel they used resulted in that heavily smoked flavour and it proved a popular innovation. It's no wonder cigar-wielding Winston Churchill was a fan.

Lapsang for cooking.

A number of our business customers are actuallly cooking with Lapsang.  The Stag at Mentmore did a wonderful smoked carrot canape. Delicious!

And The Hinds Head in Bray are using it for smoking their salmon.  Phenomenal!