Oct 27
Review: JING Tea Organic Bohea Lapsang Supreme Black Tea
Black Tea, JING Tea, Lapsang Souchong Tea Add commentsJamie’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "I found it difficult to discern the piney flavor that makes Lapsang a tea I keep trying when I have the chance."
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My first ever Lapsang Souchong experience was an ambiguous one. The smokiness was of a quality that I couldn't quite enjoy, it being very very potent. And yet, something in the taste piqued my interest tremendously. I got layers of distinctly piney smoke scenting that sort of hooked me...since then I've been very very cautiously sampling Lapsangs when the chance has come up, just to stretch my horizons and see what will come of it.My prior experiences with Jing have been quite positive. I've really enjoyed their offerings and jumped at the chance to sample their Bohea Lapsang Supreme. The jet black, matte leaves are on the longer side of medium length, with a distinctly smoky aroma. The smokiness here is rich and full, pungent but lacking the high pitched scream of burning rubber that I've noted in some other Lapsangs. So far, so good.
I brewed this sample using one tablespoon plus one heaped teaspoon of dry leaf to 24 ounces of water. I brewed for four minutes initially, but found the resultant liquor quite pale and the taste, while hot and not fully developed, seemed weak as well. I opted to extend the steep to five minutes total - the longer of Jing's recommended brew times. After five minutes, the color darkened up a bit and the flavor seemed a little more finished as well.
I found that this tea responded well to a small amount of sweetener. It seems to swell the flavors a bit. Overall, I found this tea a bit flat in character. I found the body of the tea a bit undeveloped and would have liked to have had a little more in my sample to try a stronger brewing. Jing recommends 1 to 2 teaspoons per 8 ounces of water, and I used a ratio about middle of the road for these recommendations. I would recommend using more leaf if you generally prefer a stronger or sturdier tea. The smokiness of the tea, which I would expect to be a big attraction to Lapsang seekers, was present but not particularly bold. I found it difficult to discern the piney flavor that makes Lapsang a tea I keep trying when I have the chance. I should caution, too, that I'm not really attracted to a super strong campfire tasting tea, and even I find the smokiness in this particular offering more subdued than expected. In this case, the bold smoky flavor I expected in a Lapsang (one with layers and with a piney-ness apparent) missed the mark a bit and the rich and sturdy strength that I love about black tea was a bit lacking as well.
I do like a full flavored, very sturdy black tea, and this might be my bias shining through. The Bohea is really quite mild mannered and the smokiness is on a similar level. It's a bit toned down. For those that like a mild black tea, I think this might be an attractive offering. My prior experiences with Jing have been excellent and lead me to believe that this tea would be worth trying again, using a higher ratio of leaf to water. I would definitely recommend this tea to those liking a lighter bodied Lapsang. The Lapsang of my dreams I will have to continue searching for.
— To purchase JING Tea Organic Bohea Lapsang Supreme Black Tea, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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