Lapsang Souchong loose leaf black tea scattered on white background, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.
Brewed Lapsang Souchong black tea in glass mug with loose leaf scattered nearby and black pouch packaging, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.
Lapsang Souchong loose leaf black tea in a sealed black canister with gray label, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Organic Black Tea | Smoky & Bold | High Caffeine

Organic Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

Grown in China Smoky Bold

Black tea dried over pine wood fires in Fujian, China. The campfire tea for people who drink scotch, dark roast coffee, or mezcal.

Ingredients: Organic Black Tea.

$18.00 USD
$18.00 USD
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Size: Tea Tin
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About Lapsang Souchong

The campfire tea for people who drink scotch.

Organic black tea from Fujian province, dried over smoking pine wood fires. The leaves absorb the resinous smoke deep into their structure. The cup tastes like standing next to a wood-burning stove in a pine forest. Bold, savory, warming. The malt sweetness of the black tea base sits underneath the smoke and rounds the whole thing out. Love it or avoid it. There is no middle ground.

Why Fujian, why pine.

Lapsang Souchong comes from the Wuyi Mountains in northern Fujian, a region known for its mineral-rich soil and high-altitude tea gardens. The smoking process traces back to the Qing Dynasty, when tea producers used pine wood fires to speed-dry their leaves during the humid spring harvest. The smoke was originally a fix for weather delays. It became a signature. The pine used in the smoking process is the native Masson Pine, which grows throughout the Wuyi range. The resin in the wood gives the tea its campfire character.

The scotch whisky parallel.

This is the Islay single malt of the tea world. The same palate that appreciates peat smoke in scotch, char on mezcal, or dark roast coffee tends to appreciate Lapsang Souchong. The smoke reads as savory complexity, not bitterness. Smooth, warming, long finish. Best sipped slow on a cold afternoon with a book or a conversation that takes its time.

Organic Ingredients
  • Organic Black Tea
Tasting Notes

Aroma: Intense and immediate. Pine wood smoke, resinous and warm. Smells exactly like a campfire or a wood-burning stove.

Flavor: Bold and savory. The smoke leads, sharp and clean, then softens into the malt-and-honey sweetness of the black tea base. The finish is long and warming, with a dried-fruit sweetness that lingers.

With milk: A splash of whole milk or oat milk softens the smoke and brings the black tea sweetness forward. The cup reads as smoky-sweet instead of smoky-savory.

Why You'll Love It

The Qing Dynasty origin: Lapsang Souchong traces back to the 17th century in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian province, where tea producers used pine wood fires to speed-dry their spring harvest during humid weather. The smoke was originally a practical fix for weather delays. It became a signature process that defines the tea. The same smoking method is still used in the region today.

The European palate: Lapsang Souchong was one of the first Chinese teas exported to Europe in the 1700s, where the smoky character appealed to the same palate that appreciated peat-smoked scotch whisky and roasted coffee. It became a staple in British and Dutch tea culture, often served with milk.

The warming quality: Traditional Chinese Medicine classifies smoked foods as warming to the body, making them appropriate for cold, damp climates. The tea has been used as a cold-weather drink in northern China for centuries, often brewed strong and sipped slow.

Lapsang Souchong loose leaf black tea in a sealed black canister with gray label, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Lapsang Souchong

$18.00 USD
$18.00 USD
What's inside

Key ingredients

The botanicals at the heart of this blend, and where in the world they're traditionally grown.

Black Tea

Camellia sinensis

Assam, India & Yunnan, China

Black Tea

Camellia sinensis

A fully oxidized tea leaf with the caffeine to wake you up. Bold and malty.

In the cup

Black tea is the most oxidized of the true teas. The leaves are left to darken fully before drying, which deepens the color and the flavor into a brisk, malty cup with the body to stand up to milk. It also carries the most caffeine of any tea, the reason it is the classic morning brew. Most comes from Assam and Yunnan.

Traditionally grown in Assam, India & Yunnan, China

Shop Black Tea teas

1 of 1
TeaFujian, China

Organic Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

Steep bold. Sip slow.

Caffeine: High
8.0 oz
Water
212°F
Temperature
1.0 tsp
Leaf
4 min
Steep Time
Re-Steep · Up to 2×
4 minutes at full boil. The smoke intensifies if you oversteep, so stay close to the timer. Add milk to soften the smoke, or sip straight to let the savory notes lead.
1
Cup

Craft Your Cup

A few notes from our teamakers.

Smoky Lapsang Latte
Brew 1 heaping teaspoon in 8 ounces of full-boil water for 4 minutes. Strain. Top with 6 ounces of steamed whole milk or oat milk and an optional drizzle of maple syrup. The milk softens the smoke, the maple bridges into dessert territory. Best in a wide mug on a cold afternoon.

Smoky Tea Rub
Grind 3 tablespoons of dry leaves into a fine powder in a spice grinder. Mix with 1 tablespoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Rub onto tofu, portobello mushrooms, or salmon before grilling. The smoke infuses the food as it cooks, adding a campfire depth that liquid smoke can't replicate.

Cold-Smoked Iced Tea
Cold-brew 2 teaspoons in 16 ounces of cold water for 8 to 10 hours in the fridge. Strain. Pour over ice with a squeeze of lemon and a small drizzle of honey. The cold extraction keeps the smoke smooth and drops most of the tannin. Drinks like a smoky Arnold Palmer.

Lapsang Souchong loose leaf black tea scattered on white background, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Your Questions About Lapsang Souchong, Answered.

Does it really taste like a campfire?

Yes. The leaves are dried over pine wood fires, so the smoke is absorbed into the tea itself. The cup tastes and smells like standing next to a wood-burning stove. If you enjoy peat-smoked scotch, dark roast coffee, or mezcal, you'll recognize the same savory, warming character. If you prefer floral or delicate teas, this will be too bold.

Can I cook with it?

Yes. Grind the dry leaves into a fine powder in a spice grinder and use it as a smoky rub for grilled vegetables, tofu, or roasted meats. It adds a depth of flavor that liquid smoke can't match. The smoke is real and resinous, not synthetic. It also works folded into a dry brine for fish or poultry.

Should I add milk?

A splash of whole milk or oat milk softens the smoke and brings the malt-and-honey sweetness of the black tea base forward. The cup reads as smoky-sweet instead of smoky-savory. It's a common preparation in British tea culture, where Lapsang Souchong has been served with milk since the 1700s. Try it both ways and see which you prefer.