![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scientistsinistralWe're back to the blacks. It's been a while.
Russian Caravan is a blend of black teas, meant to evoke the smoky, musky smell of a Russian caravan as it travelled. The smoky scent and taste is often provided by a Lapsang Souchong (click here for when I tried that), with other black teas. Keemun is usually one, though compositions can vary. This blend also includes an oolong tea.
Ingredients: Keemun, Oolong and Lapsang Souchong.
First brewing of this was done with about a tablespoon of tea into a standard mug pictured above for 4 minutes, though we are back to the 'whatever temperature the hot water thermos was at' metric because the kettle looked like it'd been recently boiled and the thermos was full. If I had a thermometer, I would measure it, but I don't. Maybe I should get one.
It does smell like smoke, which is the Lapsang in it, but it's not so much when compared to the cold brew I did of a pure Lapsang.
No cold brew of this one - after seeing how it tasted when cooled down I don't think it would taste as good as it does hot.
Hot Brew
Verdict: Quite a full body to this one - as expected from two blacks and an oolong. The smoke wasn't strong, but definitely there from the beginning of the sip. Especially when hot, sipping it made me pause to reflect on the taste, which I want to say I like but don't love.
It seemed to lose strength as it cooled - which is possibly a side effect of me leaving it to cool off a bit so as not to boil in the summer heat and then forgetting about it. I definitely liked it more when it was hot - the smoke doesn't work quite as well when it's cold.
Lessons Learned: Smoke and fullness wanes as teas get colder. It was still fine at room temperature, just not as nice.
Also, situational lesson: maybe smoked teas aren't the best idea when you've just recovered from a cold. My throat was not exactly pleased with me the next morning.
Would I drink it again? I would, though I wouldn't repurchase this one specifically. It's a taste that makes me pause in a good way, and I probably just wouldn't be reaching for it all that often. But I'll finish the packet.
Russian Caravan is a blend of black teas, meant to evoke the smoky, musky smell of a Russian caravan as it travelled. The smoky scent and taste is often provided by a Lapsang Souchong (click here for when I tried that), with other black teas. Keemun is usually one, though compositions can vary. This blend also includes an oolong tea.
Ingredients: Keemun, Oolong and Lapsang Souchong.
First brewing of this was done with about a tablespoon of tea into a standard mug pictured above for 4 minutes, though we are back to the 'whatever temperature the hot water thermos was at' metric because the kettle looked like it'd been recently boiled and the thermos was full. If I had a thermometer, I would measure it, but I don't. Maybe I should get one.
It does smell like smoke, which is the Lapsang in it, but it's not so much when compared to the cold brew I did of a pure Lapsang.
No cold brew of this one - after seeing how it tasted when cooled down I don't think it would taste as good as it does hot.
Hot Brew
Verdict: Quite a full body to this one - as expected from two blacks and an oolong. The smoke wasn't strong, but definitely there from the beginning of the sip. Especially when hot, sipping it made me pause to reflect on the taste, which I want to say I like but don't love.
It seemed to lose strength as it cooled - which is possibly a side effect of me leaving it to cool off a bit so as not to boil in the summer heat and then forgetting about it. I definitely liked it more when it was hot - the smoke doesn't work quite as well when it's cold.
Lessons Learned: Smoke and fullness wanes as teas get colder. It was still fine at room temperature, just not as nice.
Also, situational lesson: maybe smoked teas aren't the best idea when you've just recovered from a cold. My throat was not exactly pleased with me the next morning.
Would I drink it again? I would, though I wouldn't repurchase this one specifically. It's a taste that makes me pause in a good way, and I probably just wouldn't be reaching for it all that often. But I'll finish the packet.
Tags: