Russian Caravan

I discovered an old tin of this while I was clearing out some of my clutter. It was almost full! I have no idea when I bought it, but I know it hasn’t been available in the States for a long time.

This was the tea that, years ago, turned me into a tea drinker although not a very steadfast or adventurous one. At one time this was my breakfast beverage of choice, and when I started looking for a replacement I hit upon Taylor’s of Harrowgate’s Scottish Breakfast blend. To my faulty memory, the Scottish Breakfast was reminiscent of my late lamented Russian Caravan, unlike other teas I discovered that were called Russian Caravan, Russian Country, etc. I had absolutely NO memory of the slight smokiness of the Twinings Russian Caravan. Which was still there when I finally brewed a cup!

I think this is mostly Assam with a small proportion of Lapsang Souchong. Others say it’s Keemun, and the recent copy above says its Chinese tea, not Indian, so either the blend has changed or I can’t tell because the tea in this tin is so old and my taste buds are, too! It’s a much fainter smokiness than any of the other Russian Caravan teas I’ve tried, but since I have no memory of that from earlier days I don’t think it has deteriorated in the case of my aging tin. I suspect I was drinking a bit of full-strength Lapsang Souchong (probably also Twinings’) in those days as well.

Anyway, this long ramble comes down to several things: it was nice to revisit an old friend, and I will be sorry to empty the tin, but good to know how well the tea apparently held up. I also know now that there are newer friends out there that can fill the place this tea once held in my cupboard.

I was in the ED today and found a box of this in the breakroom. It swells smoky dry. I used water from the zip kettle so it was boiling and maybe even a little superheated. I brewed it for probably over 5 minutes while I was talking to Orthopaedics in Townsville. It has a pretty mild smoky flavour, just detectable. It is also on the sweet side without any additions. While it wasn’t the most interesting Russian Caravan, it is a nice changed from the bagged ceylon I have been drinking at work.

I’ve been drinking this quite steadily at work these past few days. The mornings have got pretty cold, and this is just the tea I need to get the day started once I arrive. I know there’s some confusion about the origin of this tea, but my bag says chinese keemun.

First off, I have to say that this isn’t quite what I thought. From what I’ve read about Russian Caravan I was expecting a slightly smoky taste, which I can’t detect at all. I find myself mildly disappointed by this. That being said, I think this is a fabulous breakfast tea — strong and dependable. I’m actually considering replacing my usual English Breakfast with this, because, while not very exciting, it is a fabulous tasting tea.

I think I’ll continue to experiment with Russian Caravan blends from other manufacturers, because I’d really like to find one with the fabled smokiness. For now, though, this is really hitting the spot.

Twinings Russian Caravan has been my everyday “quaffing” tea for many years. It has a smooth but robust flavour that is perfect for any time of day. It doesn’t leave your palate feeling bitter, unlike the rough ride you get from a lot of the budget brand supermarket teas.

There is simply no comparison between the loose tea and tea bags in Twinings Russian Caravan – the loose tea wins hands down. And fortunately it is readily available on supermarket shelves around here (regional Victoria, Australia), unlike some other varieties of Twinings loose tea.

As with all other teas, I drink mine black with no sugar.

I tried this tea while traveling to south east asia years ago. Found it in Thailand and Cambodia. It was made in the Australian branch of Twinings not available in the northern hemisphere from what I can find. It is my second favorite tea after Chai currently. But every manufacturer other than the Australian Twinnings version I toss out because I don’t like them. If you ever get a chance try out the Australian Twinings Russian Caravan if you are a fan of black tea.

Absolutely love this tea. It’s exotic with a lot of complex notes (wood smoke, nuts), but really uplifting and hearty.

Tried this tonight. It’s not bad… but it’s not very exciting. The tea doesn’t have an overly smoky flavour, and whilst this may not necessarily a bad thing, there is little else to excite the palate. There is no interesting aftertaste – it’s a touch thin. Overall – not bad, but leaves one wanting to try a really special Russian Caravan blend.

This is the only tea I EVER threw away after trying a cup. It is very smokey flavored, obscuring any tea flavor. Russian Caravan tea must be an acquired taste!

The greatest black tea I have ever had. Really delicious. Smokey and a little sweet on its own. Perfect for an afternoon tea party with milk (or almond or soy milk) and sugar. Very fragrant. Also good black.

Wonderful Keemun blend that has a nice deep, smoky but also flowery flavor. Complex and rich. One of my favorites at the end of a long day.