Lapsang Souchong -- where?

sarahTT

We're big tea drinkers and sometimes it has to be Lapsang Souchong... more for Hubby but occasionally I'll have some. Our reserves are depleted and so I went to our Sainsbury's to get some new. Nope. No LS, not from SB, not from Twinings, not from anybody. SB even don't show it in their online search anymore. Tesco should have them in theory... but they're out of stock?! Morrison seems the same.
Is there a drought? A mass panic buying of LS? Some Chinese plot to starve us of this?
Where can I buy some reasonable priced LS (i.e. NOT from Whittard )?

alicef

loose leaf or tea bags?  If the former, I'd look to a local tea/coffee merchant to tie you over

HouseMartin567

Is that the smoky one? If so I had some as part of a mix/taster pack from an online company called Brew Tea Co. I didn’t like the flavour but the other 4 in the pack were nice (breakfast, assam, Darjeeling, ceylon).

mouthwatering

Our local Waitrose has the stuff, or at least had it a couple of days ago when I bought a pack of teabags. So perhaps check yours... and buy two packs

Emmia

sarahTT said:

We're big tea drinkers and sometimes it has to be Lapsang Souchong... more for Hubby but occasionally I'll have some. Our reserves are depleted and so I went to our Sainsbury's to get some new. Nope. No LS, not from SB, not from Twinings, not from anybody. SB even don't show it in their online search anymore. Tesco should have them in theory... but they're out of stock?! Morrison seems the same.
Is there a drought? A mass panic buying of LS? Some Chinese plot to starve us of this?
Where can I buy some reasonable priced LS (i.e. NOT from Whittard )?

I was going to recommend The Teahouse for some, a place that does an excellent selection of good quality loose-leaf teas in particular - but perhaps the price is too much?

https://theteahouseltd.com/products/lapsang-souchong-superior-tea

NorthYorkie

Try Taylors of Harrogate Lapsang Souchong

andygb

Here we go.

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/no1-lapsang-souchong-loose-leaf-tea/461833-772952-772953?srsltid=AfmBOoqFX_XFypOAZbo98Nnb00bjhcJQKt4xkci4P-a6V56ce9hfkaZAXxQ

sarahTT

Thanks for helping out... appreciate it. Looks like a trip to the other end of town and Waitrose then. Let's hope they have some. Otherwise we'll have to raid the bank.
Rant mode: I well remember the time when our Sainsbury's had bags and loose leaf tea for Kenya, Assam, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, LS... you name it and they had it. Almost all gone now and all sorts of coffee or stuff that masquerades as coffee seems to be king these days

RandomUsername567

"Is there a drought? A mass panic buying of LS? Some Chinese plot to starve us of this?"

Worldwide shortage, going on for two years now I believe. There's genuine LS to be had but prices are high because of shortages of the right wood to smoke the tea leaves in China.

A shame, I've only just started drinking less coffee and more tea again.

andygb

sarahTT said:

Thanks for helping out... appreciate it. Looks like a trip to the other end of town and Waitrose then. Let's hope they have some. Otherwise we'll have to raid the bank.
Rant mode: I well remember the time when our Sainsbury's had bags and loose leaf tea for Kenya, Assam, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, LS... you name it and they had it. Almost all gone now and all sorts of coffee or stuff that masquerades as coffee seems to be king these days

I can still buy my Darjeeling loose tea and bags from Sainsbury's, let us hope it continues.

sarahTT

Crisis over Waitrose have a pretty good LS (loose leaf which we prefer) and indeed all sorts of other varieties on offer. We left them with an almost empty shelf... they had 4 packs and we took 3 as my MiL is also out of the stuff. Thanks for all the input!

As to my rant about all those varieties... our Sainsbury's (though a big one) is perhaps not typical. The aisle used to have tea for more than half its length, now it's down to less of a quarter and much of that is herbal teas.