Tongmuguan Spice

Tea: Concubine's Smile Lapsang Souchong (妃子笑 Feizi Xiao)Type: Tongmuguan Black Tea (hongcha)Cultivar: XiaozhongHarvest:  May, 2024Region: Tongmuguan, Fujian Producer: Zhang FamilyTasting 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 ga