What Is Lapsang Souchong? The Smoky Black Tea

Where it comes from

Lapsang Souchong (zhengshan xiaozhong) originated in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian province and is often cited as one of the earliest black teas ever produced, with roots going back centuries. For more on how place shapes tea, see our guide to tea growing regions.

The traditional story is that tea makers, rushed by circumstance, dried their leaves quickly over pinewood fires — and the smoky result became popular in its own right rather than being seen as a defect.

How the smoking works

After withering, rolling, and oxidizing like a standard black tea, the leaves are dried in bamboo baskets over smoldering pine logs. The smoke penetrates the leaf during this final drying stage, leaving a distinct pine-resin, campfire character.

What Does Lapsang Souchong Taste Like?

The first thing most people notice is smoke — often described as campfire, pine resin, or wood. Underneath, there is a malty black tea base, and many examples have a gentle sweetness that some drinkers compare to dried fruit, longan, or caramel.

How these flavors balance depends on the tea. In some cups the smoke is a light background note; in others it dominates, with a savory, almost bacon-like edge. The base tea matters too: a sweeter, fuller leaf holds up to smoke better than a thin one. If you want words to describe what you taste, our tea flavor profiles guide is a helpful reference.

• Smoke: campfire, smoldering wood, sometimes savory
• Pine and resin: a woody, slightly sharp aroma from the pinewood
• Malt: the rounded body typical of black tea
• Sweetness: dried-fruit or honey-like notes in many, but not all, examples

Traditional vs modern Lapsang Souchong

Teas sold under the name Lapsang Souchong can vary considerably. Traditional 'zhengshan' Lapsang Souchong from its original area tends to be more balanced, with the smoke supporting a naturally sweet, fruity black tea underneath. Mass-market versions made elsewhere sometimes rely on heavier smoking to compensate for a plainer base tea.

Product labels rarely state smoke level, so descriptions like 'light smoke' or 'intense' are worth reading before you buy — and your first tin may not taste like the next one from a different seller.

• Traditional pine-smoked: balanced smoke over a sweet, fruity base
• Heavily smoked commercial versions: intense, almost bacon-like aroma
• Unsmoked (wild or 'bulan xiang') versions: soft, honeyed, no smoke at all

How to brew Lapsang Souchong

Brew at 203 to 212°F (95 to 100°C) for 3 to 4 minutes, similar to any black tea. See our water temperature guide if you're unsure how hot your water is.

A reasonable starting point is about 2 to 3 g of leaf (roughly 1 teaspoon) per 8 oz (240 ml) of water. A tea scale makes this more consistent, and our tea-to-water ratio guide explains how to scale it up for a teapot.

Treat these numbers as a starting point, not a rule. Many people also enjoy it in several short steeps, or with a splash of milk. For the general method, see how to brew black tea and our steeping time guide.

• Too smoky or bitter: use less leaf, steep for 2 to 3 minutes, or let the water cool slightly
• Too weak: add a little more leaf rather than steeping much longer, which tends to pull out bitterness
• Want gentler smoke: try a lightly smoked or unsmoked version instead

Pairing and cooking

Because the smoke flavor is strong, it pairs well with hearty foods and is often used in cooking, including smoky marinades and even cocktails.