Pantenger's Lapsang Souchong Leaves

About Lapsang Souchong

Wuyi Shan was a small village in the province of Fujian surrounded by mountains and a forest of bamboo, tea, pines and cypresses. The economy was based on the production of oolong tea and bamboo.

In 1645, a battalion of the Qing Dynasty Emperor was crossing the Wuyi Mountains and was expected to spend the night in the village.

The farmers, in a desperate action to save the harvested fresh tea leaves and to prevent them from being stolen from the soldiers, dried the tea with pine fire, covered the tea with cloth and hid it in holes in the ground.

Once the soldiers left the village they opened the tea and discovered that it had become smoky and oxidized black tea. They thought it was ruined. They offered the smoky black tea to Dutch merchants that were buying black tea to sell in Europe. The Dutch were delighted with this smoky tea and the following year they returned to Wuyi Shan to buy more tea. The villagers replicated the process and soon it became a favourite in Europe and later in America.

Lapsang Souchong tea is loved by tea connoisseurs in America and Europe. It was first exported from China by the Dutch in 1645. Winston Churchill and fictional character Sherlock Holmes are among its most famous devotees.

Lapsang Souchong

Brewing a perfect cup:

A great cup of tea requires three elements: great tea, water and a tea master (you).

The right amount of tea is 1 teaspoon (2 to 3 grams) / 6 Fl. Oz. of water (200°F – 212°F).

Lapsang Souchong tea is best when rinsed before the first cup.

• Brew for 20 to 40 seconds.
• Drain the tea.
• Brew for 2 to 3 minutes.

This tea allows many brews. Add 10 seconds to each subsequent infusion.

Water quality: filtered or spring water is recommended. Water containing high amounts of minerals or excess chlorine will make your tea tasteless.

INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC BLACK TEA.

About Pantenger

Pantenger’s tea collection is a testament to our fine tea history, tea tasting and its benefits.

Our mission is to promote tea culture in the United States and to ensure the best teas are known and accessible on line and from the most renowned supermarkets and grocery stores.

The Pantenger collection includes Matcha, Sencha and Genmaicha green teas from Japan. These teas are organically grown in the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan by a ninth-generation family-owned tea estate that has accumulated over 250 years of artisan expertise.

It also includes the finest organic teas from single estates in Darjeeling, an extremely aromatic and flowery first flush and a summer harvest with its characteristic muscatel flavour. A high altitude green tea completes our collection from the Lesser Himalayas.

Our Alishan Oolongs are the most delicate examples of this tea type. Our Amber Oolong is a competition grade tea that has been awarded the most prestigious Taiwanese prizes over the years. Our Oolong Tea Master is extremely skilled and a true champion.

Our Jasmine tea is from the Chinese province of Yunnan and is made by scenting white tea with jasmine petals. The petals are then removed and the flavor is locked in the leaves by rolling them. This is the most refined Jasmine tea available. It is sweet compared to the bitter jasmine teas made with green tea leaves.

Our blends are made using our own tea recipes. The most refined ingredients and best tea leaves are used. Our Earl Grey is a blend of the finest Ceylon OP from Dimbula and Bergamot Essential Oil from Calabria. Our rose tea is made with Moroccan rose petals and our Raspberry and Mango teas use tea leaves from new high altitude tea fields in Rwanda.

All our teas are supplied in airtight tins to protect the tea from oxidation.