Lapsang Souchong Black Tea: A Witch’s Brew of Forest Smoke

Deep in the misty mountains of Fujian, China, there is a tea that carries the essence of fire and forest. Its leaves are dried over smoldering pinewood, infused with smoke until they taste like hearth-fire and midnight air. This is Lapsang Souchong, the smoky black tea beloved by witches and storytellers alike.

To sip Lapsang is to step into a woodland clearing at dusk, where shadows lengthen, smoke drifts from a hidden fire, and magic stirs in the stillness.

The Folklore of Lapsang Souchong

Legend says that Lapsang was born by accident. During the Qing dynasty, soldiers passing through Wuyi Mountain disrupted tea production. To speed up drying and salvage the harvest, villagers smoked the leaves over pinewood fires. The result was unlike any other tea — bold, smoky, and mysterious.

What was once a desperate solution became a treasure. Travelers carried its smoky flavor across oceans, and soon it became a tea for explorers, philosophers, and poets who sought depth in every cup.

Lapsang can be a tea of shadows and transformation, a potion for those standing at the crossroads of change. Its smoke connects earth and sky, hearth and forest, root and spirit. Just like in our tale, In Black Smoke - link to read

The Benefits of Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

Beyond its bold flavor, Lapsang carries benefits both practical and symbolic.

• Focus & Energy – As a black tea, Lapsang helps provide a steady caffeine for alertness and clarity.
• Rich in Antioxidants – Can help protect the body and supports overall vitality.
• Digestive Comfort – The smoky warmth is believed to aid in digestion, especially after heavy meals.
• Symbol of Transformation – Lapsang embodies resilience — turning disruption into depth, accident into artistry.
• A Ritual Tea – Its bold character makes it a favorite for meditation, storytelling, and seasonal witchcraft.

Brewing Lapsang Black Tea: Fire in a Cup

Brewing Lapsang Souchong is like tending a small hearth — a ritual of warmth and grounding.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 teaspoons of our In Black Smoke -  Lapsang Souchong leaves
• 200ml hot water (95°C)
• Optional: honey, milk, or spices to soften the smoke

Brewing Steps:

Step one: Prepare the Leaves – Place the dark, twisted leaves into your teapot or strainer.

Step two: Pour Hot Water – Let the steam rise like campfire smoke.

Step three: Steep with Patience – Brew for 3–5 minutes; the longer it steeps the smokier the flavor.

Step four: Taste the Smoke – Sip slowly, letting the flavor curl over your tongue like forest mist.

A Tea Ritual with Smoky Black Tea

Lapsang is a tea for rituals of shadow work, transformation, and fire magic.

• Light a Candle or Fire – Sit where flame or smoke can accompany you.
• Hold Your Cup Steady – Gaze into the dark liquid as though into a cauldron.
• Whisper Your Intention – Speak of what you wish to transform, release, or ignite.
• Sip with Awareness – Let the smoky taste root you in the present while opening you to change.
• Offer Thanks – Leave a few drops of tea outside as an offering to the forest spirits or the darkness.

This ritual is perfect for the dark moments of autumn, winter, or any time you feel called to step through a threshold.

DIY Blends with Lapsang

While powerful alone, Lapsang pairs beautifully with herbs and spices for potions of depth:

1. Lapsang + cinnamon + clove (for warmth & protection)
2. Lapsang + lavender + sage (for magic & meditation)
3. Lapsang + hibiscus + ginger (for passion & energy)
4. Lapsang + orange peel + cardamom (for brightness & travel)

These blends soften or enhance the smoke, shaping your cup to your mood.

The Symbolism of Lapsang

Our In Black Smoke - Lapsang Souchong is the black tea of mystery. 
It symbolizes:

• Transformation – Turning disruption into strength.
• Protection – Smoke as a shield against negativity.
• Depth – A tea for seekers of wisdom and shadow truths.
• The Threshold – A bridge between the mundane and the mystical.

It is a tea that asks you to slow down, reflect, and embrace the unknown.

Smoke & Shadow in a Cup

Lapsang Souchong is unlike any other tea. Bold and smoky, it carries the essence of forest fires and midnight rituals, of accidents turned into magic. To sip it is to be reminded that even in disruption, beauty can be born.

So brew yourself a cup of In Black Smoke on a quiet morning or evening. Light a candle, whisper your intention, and let the smoke guide you into mystery. Within its depths lies not only strength but also transformation — a witch’s brew for those ready to step into the unknown. 

"Ground yourself with the trees… For they are always listening."

Sip the tea: 

In Black Smoke - Organic Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

Read the legend: 

The Legend of Lapsang

In Twilight's Dark part 2