Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong (正山小种红茶)

Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong (正山小种红茶) literally meaning "authentic mountain small tea plant" in Mandarin Chinese, is a unique black tea from Wuyi mountain, Fujian Province, China, the hometown of well-known legendary Wuyi Rock Oolong Teas.  Possibly the original first Chinese black tea, or Hong Cha, was invented by accident in Ming Dynasty. According to legend, a platoon of soldiers decided to cross Huanggang Shan in the Wuyi mountains to travel from Jiangxi to Fujian. One night, they stopped to rest in Tongmu and commandeered a local farmer’s home to sleep. They rested on piles of fresh green tea leaves that had been withering in the family courtyard. This tea was allowed to fully oxidize before the farmers could collect it and finish it the next day. The result was a deep black tea with a sweet and mild taste. Most often encountered in the west as a heavily smoked tea called Lapsang Souchong. It’s known for its infamous smokey notes, sweet, floral, and slightly fruity taste after-finish. It