Sunday TeaRoom 4/05/09 Smokin' or just smokey?

[Chip]

Greetings and welcome to our virtual TeaRoom. Please stop by and share what is in your cup today.

Yesterday responders shared Spring in an off the tea topic discussion. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. I have been close minded on this subject, Lapsang Souchong. Recently there has been much more discussion on this hard to understand "smoked tea." Have you tried it, a really good one? Also, please share your thoughts on this very different tea.

In honor of this topic, I will be trying an L.S. for the first time in 10 years, hopefully a good one shared by Scruff.

I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone, bottoms up.

[Victoria]

I have tried a really good one and enjoyed it.

I have just recently tried a very good one and I did enjoy it very much.
It was from The Tea Gallery. Not as smokey as I thought it would be,
very nice and complex.

I thought it was quite an enjoyable cup.

.

[Salsero]

I have had a couple that are supposed to be pretty good and found them interesting, even
delightful, but probably not something I would drink regularly.

The antithesis of Lapsang, I present Sencha:

[omegapd]

Love the Lap, but like many things, I prefer bold flavors and I would think that the best Lapsangs are more along the line of "complex" than what I like. If I drink Lapsang, I want stout smoke and pine wood flavors. If I just wanted hints of smoke, or more complex flavors, I'd probably just go with certain Keemun teas.

Expand those horizons, Chip!

[olivierco]

I had some quality Lapsang, but it is not the kind of taste I am looking for in a tea.
I received yesterday two samples (kindly sent by scruffmcgruff) which I will try very soon.

Keemun Mao Feng Imperial with my breakfast.

[brlarson]

I've never had a quality L.S. Black teas don't excite me much anyway, except for pu, but I would like to try a quality Lapsang.

Teaspring's Tie Luo Han again this morning

[Selaphiel]

I've had a medium quality Lapsang Souchong and I loved it. It was not the smokiest of Lapsangs, it had the aroma of that bonfire smokiness but with some herbal and fruity notes in the background. People who enjoy single malts should like Lapsang souchong.
I would love if people who have had high quality Lapsangs could say where they got it, I would be interested in trying it out.

I tend to drink this tea in the evening, it relaxes me for some reason and they are usually not very high in caffeine.

Brewing some Ujibashi San no Ma soon.

[cherylopal]

I've never tried it but would like too. I like hojicha and wuyi oolongs which have a roasty flavor so I'm thinking I'd like the smokey. I'm also thinking this would be a god fall tea. If I were to try some, what would you all recommend??

Coffee right now- DH wanted some volcano coffee so I'll have some sencha later. Still waiting for my new (replacement) pot....

Salsero- loved the purple flowers with the green tea

[toastedtoads]

I know this is against everything I stand for, but a cup of LS with milk and sugar is the most comforting drink on a cold day.

We usually carry a Wuyi Shan Lapsang, and whether that is considered a better LS, or a different type I'm not sure, but it's more complex and less 'in your face' smokey than regular LS, and is quite delicious. We seem to run out of it very quickly, whether that's because we drink it all or sell it all, I'm not sure. ^_~

[Janine]

Mmm just reading this topic sounds so yummy! (TT, your descriptions sound delicious to me!)

And, coincidentally, and because of TeaChat talk, I tried a complex Lapsang at Tea Gallery yesterday. I would recommend that one (I have not tasted every Lapsang out there so I'm just saying that I liked the one I had yesterday). It was complex, it immediately put me in a good mood after the first sip (always a sign of a GREAT tea). It had the most beautiful color. I couldn't think of putting milk in it (although milk and sugar always make things taste good) just because it was such a refreshing tea by itself - it truly refreshed me.

However, I must not be in the mood for any smokiness these days because even that fantastic tea wasn't the one I bought: I walked home with Tea Gallery's keemun that is deliciously sipping me awake this morning! (Of course I have become a keemun fiend lately.) I am wonderfully discovering the complexity of flavors in this one with each sip.

[jazz88]

Really like Keemun but Lapsang – just no!

Will brew some Keemun Concerto in a minute.

[olivierco]

Otsuusan sencha and Darjeeling Risheehat SFTGFOP1 this afternoon.

[silvermage2000]

I have not tried any yet but theres a chance a will try one.

[Intuit]

I had what I suppose was a run-of-the-mill Lapsang tea, several times, different sources.

I don't care for the sharp, pungent flavor of smoked teas. It needs to be quieted down by aging, allowing complex flavors to emerge - presuming the tea is good quality.

Aged Keemun and 'Fruity' Russian Caravan are more my speed right now.

Scots Breakfast again.

[Chip]

First I will be trying a LS that has been described by tasters as more of a mild representation of LS, not so intensely smokin' but when brewed properly, it sounds very intriguing. I am actually pretty excited to give 'er a go. I would say this goes along the lines of Keemun as Omegapd describes, probably not so much to his LS liking.

Started the day with Takumi sencha fukamushi from Zencha, a very unique offering. SweeTea enjoyed this cup. Pyrit, Ceylon, TEAh Wulong, Gandalf, and the Beaver (Lil Bit). Quite a menagerie at the Sunday morning TeaPartay.

As I have mentioned in dribs and drabs in the past, this is a fukamushi, from Yame prefecture (unusual and unusual), made with Gokoh leaf (very unusual for a sencha, gyokuro variety plant) that has been grown in full sun versus shaded (most unusual). It is not cheap, but worth trying if you want to try something UNUSUAL, however very tasty.

"LS"
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