About the name "Souchong"
Tea leaf varieties are generally classified into three types by leaf size: Small-leaf, Large-leaf, and Intermediate-leaf.
We use the term "Souchong" (小種, xiǎo zhǒng) because in Chinese this literally means "small variety" — it's a leaf-size classification, not a flavor or style name.
For export, though, this can cause some confusion, since many overseas customers associate "Souchong" with "Lapsang Souchong," a well-known smoked black tea.
Worth clarifying: Lapsang Souchong is not a tea cultivar — "Lapsang" refers to a processing style (traditionally pine-smoked), which can be applied to a range of different tea varieties grown in the Wuyi region.
Large-leaf vs. Small-leaf Black Tea
Black teas made from large-leaf varieties — such as Ruby Black Tea (紅玉) and Assam black tea — are usually oxidized to a higher degree, giving a bolder, more robust cup.
Small-leaf varieties contain more cellulose, and their processing partly borrows techniques from oolong tea-making, including sun-withering and indoor withering — this gives the tea an oolong-like floral note. The tossing/bruising step (浪青) further develops a honey-like sweetness.
That's what makes Souchong black tea distinctive: milder and gentler than large-leaf black teas, but with layered floral and honey notes. Our Sijichun Souchong is this small-leaf cultivar (四季春) processed using this method.