Tea: Concubine's Smile Lapsang Souchong (妃子笑 Feizi Xiao)
Type: Tongmuguan Black Tea (hongcha)
Cultivar: Xiaozhong
Harvest: May, 2024
Region: Tongmuguan, Fujian
Producer: Zhang Family
Tasting Notes: Lychee, Honeysuckle, Gardenia, Old Books, Cinnamon
This is a tea we have long since coveted because of the name alone, in the Chinese the name is Feixi Xiao, or the Concubine's Smile. While this might seem like the tea is a reference to Yang Guifei, one of China's Four Great Beauties and most famous imperial concubine of the Tang dynasty, the reference is precise and is actually about the reason behind her smile: her love of lychee fruit. Thus the reference of this tea is primarily about the lychee fruit, but it does get brushed by the beauty of Yang Guifei's lips and is in turn a double reference.
We were utterly astonished by the delicate fragrance of flowers and fruit that emerge when the dry leaves are placed in a warm gaiwan. We smell honeysuckle, sweet fruit, and the subtle notes of gardenia flowers in a distant garden. When hot water is added, the fragrance changes to something more earthy, like old books and worn wood, but the Frangrance is never far away from flowers.
The leaves themselves are slightly larger than the other tongmuguan teas, which is actually more akin to the traditional picking preference in the region, larger leaves, more coarse and wild. The brew is a bright gold that can darken with time, but the taste on the tongue is both floral and fruity. To us, this tea is a joyful union of the fruit and flower Tongmuguan teas, and in the spirit of a perfect gestalt is superior to any of its individual parts. While the brews continue, the spicey fragrance of its namesake returns, lending a gentle cinnamon aroma to the session.
As is common with black teas, we find that this tea performs best with water slightly cooler than boiling, anywhere from 80 to 90 degrees Celsius.
Check out the other offerings from the Zhang family, and watch the youtube video about our sourcing trip and their production methods!
