Hundred Years Lapsang Souchong Smoked Style 烟熏百年老枞小种 (2025)
Tea Profile
Type: Black Tea (Smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong 烟熏正山小种)
Location: Guadun Village (挂墩村), Tongmuguan (桐木关), Wuyishan
Altitude: Around 1200 m
Harvest Date: Spring 2025
Cultivar: Wuyi Cai Cha 武夷菜茶 (Qun Ti Zhong 群体种)
Age of Tea Trees: Around 120 years
The Story of This Tea
This smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong comes from Guadun Village, one of the twelve natural hamlets of Tongmuguan. The birthplace of the world’s first black tea. The Cai Cha bushes here are over a century old, growing at 1200 meters among misty cliffs and ancient forests. Their deep roots and slow growth produce leaves rich in minerals and character.
Following the traditional Tongmu method, this tea is crafted in a wooden smoke house known as a yan lou (烟楼). Fresh leaves are withered on the upper floor while pine wood and pine needles burn gently below. The rising pine oil infuses the leaves, imparting their signature longan-like sweetness and soft smoke fragrance. After rolling and fermentation, the tea is dried again over the same aromatic pine fire, resulting in a balanced and enduring smoked profile.
Aroma and Flavour
This classic smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong captures the essence of old-style Lapsang Souchong: bold yet elegant. Its aroma blends pine smoke with notes of dried longan and soft resin. The liquor is rich and amber-red, smooth and round with natural sweetness that balances the smoke. Over time, the pine intensity mellows, revealing deeper layers of fruit, honey, and wood.
- Aroma: Sweet pine smoke with ripe fruit and resinous undertones
- Flavor: Smooth, sweet, and full-bodied with a balanced smoky edge
- Texture: Delicate yet rich, coating the palate evenly
- Aftertaste: Long, sweet, and clean with lingering fruit-honey depth
- Liquor: Bright reddish-gold, clear and vibrant
- Steeping Endurance: 7 to 9 infusions
Brewing Guidelines
Gong Fu Style
- Teaware: Hongni 红泥 Yixing teapot or porcelain gaiwan to balance smoke and sweetness
- Ratio: 6–7 g per 100 ml water
- Water: 95–100 °C spring water
- Infusions: Rinse once, then brew 7–9 times, lengthening steeping time gradually
Western Style
- Teaware: Porcelain or glazed ceramic teapot (avoid unglazed clay unless dedicated to smoked teas)
- Ratio: 3–4 g per 250 ml water
- Water: About 95 °C
- Steeping: 3–4 minutes for the first infusion, resteep 2–3 times
Why Choose This Tea
This 2025 smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong from Guadun Village represents the original spirit of Tongmu black tea. Crafted from 120-year-old Wuyi Cai Cha bushes and processed in a traditional pine-wood smoke house, it delivers both strength and elegance. A bold, aromatic tea with deep sweetness beneath the smoke. With age, its character will mellow beautifully, transforming into a smooth harmony of pine, fruit, and honey. A true expression of heritage Tongmu craftsmanship.