Old bush Lapsang Souchong Smoked Style 烟熏老枞小种 (2026)
Tea Profile
Type: Black Tea (Smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong 烟熏正山小种 / Lapsang Souchong)
Location: Guadun Village 挂墩村, Tongmu Guan 桐木关, Wuyishan, Fujian
Altitude: Approx. 1,200 m
Harvest Date: Spring 2026
Cultivar: Wuyi Cai Cha 武夷菜茶 (Qun Ti Zhong 群体种)
Age of Tea Trees: Around 80 years
Processing Style: Traditional pine-smoked
The Story of This Tea
This traditional smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong comes from Guadun Village in Tongmu Guan, the historic home of Zhengshan Xiaozhong and the black tea tradition for which this remote part of Wuyishan became famous.
The tea is made from Wuyi Cai Cha 武夷菜茶, the traditional local population variety also known as Qun Ti Zhong 群体种. The trees used for this 2026 harvest are around 80 years old and grow at approximately 1,200 metres among the forests and steep mountain terrain of Tongmu. Slow growth in this cool, high-elevation environment gives the leaves the depth and structure needed to stand up to traditional smoking.
The defining element of this tea is its traditional pine-smoked processing. The leaves are withered and later smoked and dried in a wooden qing lou 青楼, the distinctive multi-level tea-making building historically used in Tongmu for producing smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong. Pine wood burns below, while heat and fragrant smoke rise through the structure and interact with the tea.
After withering, the leaves are rolled and allowed to oxidise before the later smoking and drying stages develop the tea’s characteristic pine fragrance. The finished liquor combines this smoke with the naturally sweet fruit character traditionally associated with Zhengshan Xiaozhong, particularly the dried-longan note for which classic Tongmu tea is known.
Aroma and Flavour
This is a classic smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong with a bold but carefully balanced profile. Pine smoke rises clearly from the leaves, but it does not stand alone. Beneath it are ripe fruit, dried longan, honey and subtle resinous notes that give the tea sweetness and depth.
The liquor is bright reddish-gold, smooth and rounded, with enough natural sweetness to balance the smoky character. As the infusions progress, the initial pine intensity softens and the underlying fruit, honey and warm woody qualities become increasingly apparent.
- Aroma: Sweet pine smoke, dried longan, ripe fruit and soft resinous notes
- Flavour: Smooth, naturally sweet and full-bodied, with fruit, honey and a balanced smoky edge
- Texture: Rounded and coating, combining richness with a clean finish
- Aftertaste: Long and sweet, with lingering fruit, honey and gentle pine
- Liquor: Bright reddish-gold, clear and vibrant
- Steeping Endurance: 7–9 infusions
Brewing Guidelines
Gong Fu Style
- Teaware: Hongni 红泥 Yixing teapot or porcelain gaiwan
- 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 7–9 brews
Western Style
- Teaware: Porcelain or glazed ceramic teapot; avoid unglazed clay unless the pot is dedicated to smoked teas
- Ratio: 3–4 g per 250 ml water
- Water: Around 95 °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 smoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong offers the traditional side of Tongmu black tea in direct contrast to modern unsmoked styles. Made from around 80-year-old Wuyi Cai Cha trees and processed using traditional pine-smoking methods, it preserves the flavour profile historically associated with classic Lapsang Souchong.
The smoke is an integral part of the tea rather than simply an added flavour. Pine fragrance sits above layers of dried longan, ripe fruit, honey and warm wood, creating a cup that is powerful but still balanced and naturally sweet.
For drinkers interested in the heritage of Zhengshan Xiaozhong, this tea offers a particularly useful counterpart to our unsmoked old-bush version. Tasted side by side, the two teas show how the same Tongmu black tea tradition can express itself very differently through processing: one emphasising the natural fruit and floral character of the leaf, the other transformed by the distinctive fragrance and depth of traditional pine smoking.