Russian Caravan - Tea of the Month
And so it goes - time presses on & now its August!
You may think it strange that we’ve picked the warm & comforting Russian Caravan for our summer tea of the month, but let us explain. When the summer sun dips below the horizon line & the temperature drops, nothing will beat a cup of this smoky-toasty Russian Caravan tea, whether you’re snuggled around a campfire or winding down on the sofa.
What is Russian Caravan tea?
Traditionally, Russian Caravan is a black tea blend made up of Lapsang Souchong, oolong & keemun teas. Our blend uses assam instead of keemun, swapping the floral note for a malty deliciousness.
If you’re not a fan Lapsang Souchong’s harsh smokiness then this could be the blend for you. The blend of assam and oolong’s toasty notes temper the smoky taste, creating a well balanced, mellow brew. It is neither as sharp or biting as Lapsang, instead offering its drinker an ember of long lasting flavour rather than a roaring fire.
Where does Russian Caravan get its name from?
Tea’s rich history is full of stories - of which we would love to delve deeper into - and with each enduring blend comes another anecdotal tale of how it was christened.
It’s long believed the Russian Caravan blend is named so in reference to the roaring trade of the Silk Road. Established 1500 years ago, the Silk Road was a network of trade rule connecting China in the East with Europe in the West. Caravans of ‘camels and small carts drawn by single ox or bullock’88 transported furs, pigments and food, gold, silver and tea across continents. While robust stock could take the shorter, tropical southern route, valuable perishables, such as tea, were trekked on the long road to Europe, north through Siberia . The cooler climate preserved the tea leaf, and in fact probably added to its value during the trip.
“Whilst the shorter one lies through dismal desert land, where fodder for the beast of burden is sometimes unprocurable”
Trips were long. Many miles, many camps, many midnight fires. Russian Caravan’s smoky flavour derives from Chinese teas being smoked by daily campfires during the journey. What started as a standard congou in China arrived in Russia fully smoked.
Porter Hill’s Russian Caravan
In the shop we’ve found that our customers prefer the Russian Caravan over our Lapsang. Not only is it much mellower but when it comes to brewing this blend is very forgiving.
Use code SILKROADTEA for 10% off Russian Caravan throughout August!
We recommend customers hold a one off tea tasting whenever they bring home a new tea. With 5 cups at the ready, brew a central batch of Russian Caravan, and at 1 minute intervals decant into each cup. After 5 minutes you’ll have 5 differing cups of the same tea sat in front of you. Smell & taste each one and figure out what brew time your tastebuds enjoy the most!
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TEA TIME IN ROMANOV RUSSIA: A CULTURAL HISTORY, 1616-1917 AUDRA JO YODER https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/210601502.pdf
** https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3698123.pdf Report on the Russian Caravan Trade with China