“I bought this from Sainsbury's not realising it wasn't Lapsang Souchong. It tastes like stale cigarettes, absolutely horrible, disgusting and undrinkable.”
“I have enjoyed lapsang souchong from Twinings for many years. This surrogate tea is amongst the most disgusting things I have ever tasted. I found it had a very artificial chemical taste and the unpleasant aftertaste was in my mouth for hours afterwards. I have thrown the box out and I’ll make sure I never drink it again. What a shame to lose a fantastic tea and have it replaced with something so awful.”
“Please, please bring the original flavour back. 30 years of drinking lapsang (no milk) 4 times a day. What you are now offering is unpleasant with a horrible aftertaste and nothing like the taste I know and love.”
“Devastated and outraged! Bring back the original! Twinings, I’ve always been loyal to you through thick and thin, I don’t want to have to jump ship, the others just aren’t as good. Please please reconsider and bring back the original.”
“To replace Lapsang Souchong in this way is a commercially disastrous decision and an assault on the palate.
Twinings did something similar a few years ago in changing the recipe for Earl Grey, turning it coarse and brown. I was able to find an acceptable product from a competitor. I shall do the same with Lapsang. You had two good products and threw them away. People will continue to buy quality products by prioritising amongst the overall shopping list. We may make a sacrifice in one area in order to buy a few expensive items. What you have done is to make a philistine downgrade and you have lost me and many others.”
