Masu Old Bush Lapsang Souchong 麻粟老枞小种 (2025)
Tea Profile
Type: Black Tea (Zhengshan Xiaozhong 正山小种 / Lapsang Souchong)
Location: Masu Village (麻粟村), Tongmu Guan (桐木关), Wuyishan
Altitude: About 1300 m
Harvest Date: May 24, 2025
Cultivar: Cai Cha 菜茶 (Qun Ti Zhong 群体种)
Age of Tea Trees: Over 100 years
The Story of This Tea
Masu Village lies deep within the Wuyishan National Nature Reserve and is one of the twelve historic tea-producing hamlets of Tongmu Guan. At 1300 meters altitude, its climate is cold, windy, and often marked by frost or snow. The ancient Cai Cha bushes here grow slowly under these challenging conditions, developing concentrated inner substances and exceptional resilience. The environment is pristine. Moss-covered trunks, wild vegetation, and mineral-rich rocky soils combine to produce tea that is both pure and powerful in character.
Old bush Zhengshan Xiaozhong from Masu is celebrated for its unique throat sensation known locally as dùn hóu (遁喉). A brief herbal bitterness appears at first, then transforms into a cooling sweetness that lingers in the throat. This distinctive experience defines Masu tea and distinguishes it from other Tongmu origins. Compared with Chigan, which uses tender young leaves, this Laocong Xiaozhong is made from mature leaves of century-old bushes. It delivers fir-wood and bamboo-leaf aromatics, greater depth, and a stronger returning sweetness.
Aroma and Flavour
This tea reflects the strength and purity of Masu’s high-mountain terroir. The aroma evokes fir wood and bamboo leaves, interwoven with the deep fragrance of old trees. The liquor is bright golden-red, clear, and lively. On the palate it is smooth, rich, and sweet, supported by a subtle herbal bitterness that enhances the depth of flavour. The cooling dùn hóu effect defines the aftertaste, leaving a long, sweet finish that persists beautifully across many infusions.
- Aroma: Fir wood, bamboo leaf, and laocong woody fragrance
- Flavor: Sweet, refreshing, and layered with pleasant herbal bitterness
- Texture: Thick, smooth, and rich with depth
- Aftertaste: Long-lasting huigan with the signature cooling dùn hóu sensation
- Liquor: Bright golden-red, crystal clear, and lively
- Steeping Endurance: 8 to 10 infusions
Brewing Guidelines
Gong Fu Style
- Teaware: Porcelain gaiwan for clarity, or Hongni 红泥 / Duanni 段泥 Yixing teapot to enhance sweetness and roundness
- Ratio: 7–8 g per 100–110 ml water
- Water: 95–100 °C spring water
- Infusions: Rinse once, then brew 8–10 infusions, gradually extending steeping time
Western Style
- Teaware: Porcelain or glass teapot
- Ratio: 3–4 g per 250 ml water
- Water: About 95 °C
- Steeping: 2–3 minutes for the first infusion. Resteep 2–3 times with slightly longer durations
Why Choose This Tea
This 2025 Masu Old Bush Lapsang Souchong is a powerful and elegant expression of true Tongmu craftsmanship. Grown from century-old Cai Cha trees in the cold, pristine heights of Masu Village, it embodies the essence of laocong Zhengshan Xiaozhong. With its unique fir and bamboo-leaf aroma, balanced herbal sweetness, and signature cooling dùn hóu throat sensation, this tea captures the depth, purity, and vitality of Wuyishan’s most revered black tea tradition.