Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Tea Description:
A blend of four teas along with an additional touch of Lapsang, this is a softer version of Smoky Lapsang Souchong. This tea is reminiscent of the teas that were carried by camel across the Asian deserts to Russia. As Norwood Pratt quips: “the only choice was one hump or two.”
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Just like I am with most smoky teas … I was a bit hesitant to try this Russian Country Black Tea Blend from Harney & Sons. I even like smoky teas (so long as they aren’t TOO smoky!) now but, there is still some of the residual memories of a bad smoky tea experience that causes me to recoil a bit when I encounter a smoky tea.
Fortunately though, this one is indeed a “softer version of Smoky Lapsang Souchong,” as promised in the above description. It certainly has a smoky element to it, but, it is not overly smoky … and truth be told, it’s actually quite delicious. So much so, that I am nearly finished with this cup, and I had to stop myself from drinking it so that I could compose the review!
I love it when I find a tea like that … something that I’m enjoying so much that I forget that I need to write about it, and by the time I remember, I’m nearly finished with the tea!
The flavor is rich and satisfying. It has a robust quality to it – this is a tea that you could serve as that first cup of the day to get the eye opening results you need. There is some astringency to it, and a certain brightness which leads me to believe that this blend has some Ceylon in it … that bright, brisk flavor tastes like a Ceylon to me.
And after examining the website, I see that this is correct, this is a blend of Assam, Keemun, Ceylon as well as Lapsang Souchong and Formosa Oolong! I don’t taste much from the Oolong … except the smooth texture of the tea. I do note the malty notes of the Assam, and even the richness of the Keemun. Overall this tea is sweet, smoky, rich and malty … and possesses that sort of “fresh-baked” taste to it … like the caramelized, chewy crust of a fresh baked loaf of French bread. YUM!
This makes a great latte if you want one … and it tastes great straight up too. I prefer it with about half a teaspoon of turbinado sugar to soften the edge a little bit and to enhance the caramel tones. It’s really a wonderful tea, and a great “smoky” tea for those who tend to be sensitive to the overly smoky taste of a pure Lapsang Souchong, but still want a hint of smokiness to their cup.
Manistee Moonrise Black Tea from Whispering Pines Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Whispering Pines Tea Company
Tea Description:
The Manistee river is a river running 190 miles through the northern lower peninsula of Michigan. This beautifully peaceful river is home to very abundant wildlife and is a sanctuary for an endangered bird, the Kirtlands Warbler. A river fringed with flora and fauna — not much can give a person a deeper feeling of freedom.
Manistee Moonrise Spirit Blend weaves a wild bramble of blackberries through a pine-fringed river scattered with fresh spring grasses with wildlife in the air and water. You can taste the juicy berries and catch a hint of a campfire upstream. This blend is the essence of freedom.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am really impressed with this Manistee Moonrise Black Tea blend from Whispering Pines Tea. I really didn’t expect to have a camping trip in a teacup when I brewed this tea today, but, that’s exactly what I have!
As some of you are probably well aware, I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to smoky teas. I have finally come around to Lapsang Souchong … but, I won’t even consider trying it without a quick preliminary rinsing of the leaves … and it took me a long time to get to that point.
So when I read on Steepster that this tea is smoky, I did a quick rinse before infusing. And while this IS a smoky tea … there is just so much more going on with it. The smoke is subdued, It sort of weaves its way throughout the sip, but, it never overwhelms the palate. That is to say, it’s always there … but it’s not assertively THERE.
The berry flavor is prominent, and it is delightful. There are notes of lemon that brighten the cup – tasting tangy but not overly tart. There is a crisp hint of mint … not a strong note, but something that sort of sits off in the background … like the crisp mountain air where mint grows. You can sort of taste it in the air, but it is not an aggressive taste. And then there is the pine. It has a sort of resinous flavor, again, like the flavor of the mountain air while out on a hike.
And as I stated, this tea truly tastes like a camping trip in the woods, a lovely log cabin, the fireplace roaring with a fire, and the taste of berries found while hiking and the air that one would inhale during that hike. Such a lovely translation of flavors … such an inspiring tea!
Russian Caravan from Bon Thé Place
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Bon Thé Place
Tea Description:
A smokey, strong tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve never attempted to downplay my previous dislike for smoky teas. In fact, dislike may be too gentle a word! I disliked them so much that I couldn’t even have them in my house because the smell was so repulsive to me.
I have since come to appreciate them a little more than I once did (which wouldn’t be hard because I had no appreciation whatsoever for them before! haha) but it’s been a long, hard road to get to that point.
Russian Caravan – like this one from Bon Thé Place – was one of the first smoky teas that I came in contact with … and I remember being so disappointed that it was so strong and smoky. I had big hopes for a tea called Russian Caravan. (I’m part Russian) It was a horrifying experience for me.
Since then, I’ve come to enjoy smoky teas, including Russian Caravan, but I do have my own method in brewing the teas so that they can be enjoyable. First, I steep them for about 10 seconds (a 10 second rinse) and then discard the liquid. This helps remove some of the strongest smoky elements as well as the sort of smoky “dusty” taste that I found most difficult to consume. Then I steep it as usual, using boiling water and steeping for 3 minutes. A perfect cup of tea!
Sure, it’s still smoky, but some of the smoky tones have been eliminated by the rinse. And Now, I can enjoy the sweet, caramel-y undertones (and I love how the caramel notes and the smoky notes mingle together to create a smoky caramel taste … its such a tantalizing flavor!)
The tea is rich and satisfying, full-bodied, with intriguing fruit tones just beneath the smoky layer of flavor. It is an invigorating cup – one that works well to get you going in the morning, it also works as a pleasing afternoon cuppa when you need that little something extra to cast aside the mid-day doldrums.
If you’ve a sensitive palate to the strongly smoky teas, I suggest trying my brewing method for them. You may find out that you, too, can enjoy smoky teas!
State of Maine from Jacqueline’s Tea Room
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Jacqueline’s Tea Room
Tea Description:
Blueberries and maple with a hint of smoke
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I purchased this tea originally via a sampler offered on iHeartTeas, although, it appears that this sampler is no longer available. However, it does look like Jacqueline’s Tea Room is now selling their teas online!
This is really a very tasty tea. The black tea base is a rich, hearty base … the kind of tea with which you want to start your day. Slightly smoky and full-flavored, the tea has a mild astringency and after steeping for 2 1/2 minutes, I detect no bitterness.
I like the way the maple flavor and the smoke taste together. It is a very rustic kind of taste, evoking thoughts of a pancake breakfast in a log cabin in the woods. The blueberries add just a touch of brightness to the cup, sweet and a little bit tart – it’s that subtle contrast that adds a lot of dimension to the tea.
I enjoyed this tea served straight – with no additions. It was very flavorful and rewarding. However, I think that this tea could also handle a little bit of milk and sugar if you want a creamy latte.
A deliciously cozy tea!
1919 Lapsang Zhivago from Pekko Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Pekko Teas
Tea Description:
Lapsang Souchong is produced in Fujian province in China. The process begins with freshly picked tea that is withered over pine or cedar fires, pan-fired, and then rolled by hand. Once rolled, the leaves are pressed into wooden barrels and covered with cloth and allowed to ferment until they begin to emit a pleasant aroma. Once fermented, the leaves are rolled again into tight strips and then placed in bamboo baskets which are hung over burning pine boughs. As the leaves dry, they further develop their smoky flavor. The Lapsang process results in a tea with leaves that are thick, black, and glossy.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Not long ago, Pekko Teas introduced themselves to the members of Steepster by offering us free tea! Well, I wasn’t about to pass up such a generous offer! This is the tea that I received (it was a random selection), and while it is not a tea I would have selected for myself (I’m not big on Lapsang Souchong as some of you may already be well aware), I am glad that this was the tea that was randomly selected for that very reason. Well, that and the fact that this is a really good Lapsang Souchong!
I prepared this the same way I would normally prepare a Lapsang Souchong, with a quick preliminary rinse before steeping for 2 1/2 minutes. The result is a smoky-sweet cup that is actually rather delightful. I find that this initial rinse is especially important with Lapsang Souchong (at least for me it is!), it helps tone down the smokiness just enough so that I don’t feel like I’m drinking pine ash. This allows me to fully enjoy the wonderful notes of the Lapsang.
And this is really a wonderful cup. Smoky, yes, and as I mentioned, sweet. The caramel-y sweetness melded together with the smoke is quite delicious. The smoke is strong, but it doesn’t overpower the cup. I can taste delicate notes of pine, and a rich earthy undertone. It is an aggressive cup and would make a good choice for a morning tea – especially good for those mornings when you’re just not ready to wake up but you have to anyway.
I’m really quite delighted with this tea … the first that I’ve had the opportunity to try from Pekko Teas, but I daresay not the last!