Old Bush Lapsang Souchong 老枞小种 (2026)
Tea Profile
Type: Black Tea (Unsmoked Lapsang Souchong / Zhengshan Xiaozhong 正山小种)
Location: Guaduan Village 挂墩, Tongmu Guan 桐木关, Wuyishan, Fujian
Altitude: Approx. 1,200–1,400 m
Harvest Date: May 18, 2026
Cultivar: Wuyi Cai Cha 武夷菜茶 (Heirloom Qun Ti Zhong 群体种)
Age of Tea Bushes: Over 100 years
Processing Style: Unsmoked
The Story of This Tea
This old-bush Zhengshan Xiaozhong comes from wild-growing Cai Cha bushes deep within the Wuyishan National Nature Reserve in Tongmu Guan. The material was harvested around Guaduan Village at approximately 1,200–1,400 metres, where century-old tea bushes grow among forest, rock and the cool conditions of the high mountains.
Wuyi Cai Cha 武夷菜茶 is the traditional local population variety, or Qun Ti Zhong 群体种, associated with the historic teas of this region. The bushes used for this tea are over 100 years old. Tall and relatively untamed, they produce only a limited quantity of suitable tender shoots each spring, making the annual harvest naturally small.
The leaves are handpicked and processed as an unsmoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong, allowing the character of the old Cai Cha material and its mountain environment to remain at the centre of the tea. Rather than the pine-smoke profile often associated internationally with Lapsang Souchong, this version reveals the naturally sweet, fruity and floral side of traditional Tongmu black tea.
The result is a tea with remarkable clarity and balance. Its golden liquor carries honeyed depth and ripe fruit sweetness while retaining a fresh, cooling quality that reflects its high-mountain origin.
Aroma and Flavour
The large, twisted dry leaves have an appearance that can recall fine Wuyi Yancha, but the cup is unmistakably black tea. Once infused, they produce a clear, bright golden liquor with an immediately fresh and sweet fragrance.
Honey and dried fruit appear first, followed by soft floral notes and a warm sweet-potato character. Despite the depth of the liquor, the tea remains remarkably clean and refreshing. Its silky texture is accompanied by a cooling sensation that continues into the throat, while sweetness persists long after each sip.
- Aroma: Honey, dried fruit, flowers and sweet potato with clean forest freshness
- Flavour: Naturally sweet, smooth and bright, with honeyed fruit, floral depth and gentle warmth
- Texture: Silky, clean and refreshing with a cooling quality
- Aftertaste: Lingering sweetness with a fresh, forest-like cooling sensation
- Steeping Endurance: 8–10 infusions without losing clarity
Brewing Guidelines
Gong Fu Style
- Teaware: Porcelain gaiwan or glass teapot
- Ratio: 6–7 g per 100 ml water
- Water: 95–100 °C, ideally spring water
- Infusions: Brief rinse; begin with short infusions and gradually extend through 8–10 brews
Western Style
- Teaware: Porcelain or glass teapot
- Ratio: 3–4 g per 250 ml water
- Water: 95–100 °C
- Steeping: 3–4 minutes for the first infusion; resteep 2–3 times, extending the brewing time as needed
Why Choose This Tea
This 2026 old-bush Zhengshan Xiaozhong offers a rare expression of the unsmoked side of Tongmu black tea. Harvested from wild-growing Wuyi Cai Cha bushes more than a century old, at elevations of approximately 1,200–1,400 metres, it combines naturally limited production with remarkable clarity, sweetness and persistence.
Without smoke dominating the cup, the character of the raw material becomes particularly clear: honey, dried fruit, flowers and sweet potato are carried by a silky liquor with an unusually fresh, cooling finish. Its ability to remain bright and expressive through 8–10 infusions further reflects the quality and endurance of the old-bush material.
For drinkers who know Lapsang Souchong primarily as a heavily smoked tea, this is an opportunity to experience another side of Zhengshan Xiaozhong and the historic black tea tradition of Tongmu Guan. Refined, naturally sweet and deeply rooted in its mountain environment, it is a distinctive tea for both experienced collectors and those exploring the origins of Wuyi black tea.