Baked Lapsang

Lapsang Souchong is most often known to be a smokey tea from the process of drying the leaves over burning pine wood. Ours is the non-smokey version that is preferred by the locals - baked to highlight the natural sweetness of the tea leaves. Hand plucked from semi-wild Qi Zhong tea trees from the highly sought-after Tong Mu Guan region outside of Wuyi. We had to sneak into the area in the back floorboards of the owner's SUV to get past the guards. Tasting Notes: caramelized honey, allspice, cherry wood  Brewing Guidelines: Gaiwan/Yixing: fill vessel 1/3 full of dry tea leaves. Use 195º spring water, rinse leaves. 1st & 2nd infusions: 30 seconds. +10 seconds for each additional. Teapot/Mug: 1 tablespoon of leaf per 8oz of 195º water. Rinse leaves. Steep for 2 minutes, add 1 minute to each additional infusion.