If you walked into a Fuzhou or Shanghai tea shop 100 years ago, you might have encountered red teas labeled as follows: Lapsang Souchong, Chingwo Congou, Panyang Conggou, and Keemun. All refer to some of the OG red teas that China developed for the international export market.
Initially, each of these teas was made from local, seed-grown varietals that are less aromatic or consistent in profile than many popular clonal varietals today. They were sometimes mellow, sometimes floral, sometimes woody, but never presented the sugary, yummy sweetness of some modern Dianhong or the perfumey, scent-forward body of Fujian red teas now made from Oolong cultivars.
There can be no doubt that any red tea produced today will likely be softer in flavor, gentler in roast, and cleaner in processing than whatever was being exported circa ~1920. Nonetheless, the teas in this sampler represent the flavor profile inherent in the heirloom materials used to make four pioneering red teas, as understood by modern producers in China.
10 Grams: Chingwo Conggou - Zhenghe Gongfu *New*
Light on the tongue, sweet, floral, vegetal. Mug it if you want a sweet and simple red tea that seldom offers any astringency or bitterness. Drink it gongfu style to better experience the fresher floral and vegetal notes that peak in the early infusions. Sourced from Songxi County, once part of Zhenghe County and the home to a major state tea factory, the producer is still experimenting to find the best pick and roast to recreate the once-famous red tea.
10 Grams: Panyang Conggou - Tanyang Gongfu *New*
Floral, vegetal, closest to modern "high-aroma" red teas. This is a tea that the producers drink gongfu-style exclusively. True to modern Fujian norms, Tanyang Village, the once lowland rival to Wuyishan, now pumps out cheaper red teas made from Oolong cultivars like Jinguanyin. This is an exception, made from the ever-vanishing stock of heirloom Caicha that remains. It is almost certainly greener and more aromatic than past generations of Panyang Conggou, but is by no means perfumey.
10 Grams: Masu Pinewood - Old Bush Smoked Xiaozhong
Pine, smoky, woody, cork, nutty; strong lingering aroma. This is lapsang souchong that we have sold consistently for years, and for good reason. Sourced from Masu, the core growing area, you can taste the age of the tree in each sip in a way you cannot find with these other teas. This is one of the best smoked teas that you can find anywhere, and is enjoyable brewed with any method.
10 Grams: Old Factory Keemun - Qimen Gongfu
This is a thicker, blended, crushed red tea with more of a puckering, fruity edge and more throat-drying than the other teas in this sampler. It is as traditional a Keemun as anyone can get today. Maker Bi Zhaochun takes the heirloom Chuyezhong cultivar and the State Factory procedures he has known all his life extremely seriously. He would drink it Gongfu style, although it is also very enjoyable as an iced tea, with lemon to taste.
