Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Black

Where to Buy: Kusmi Tea

Tea Description:

Blend of black teas from China flavored with citrus fruit, vanilla, and spices. A Kusmi tea that is simply too good to miss out on!

Prince Vladimir is a unique blend that was created by Pavel Kusmichoff in 1888 to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the Christianization of Russia by Vladimir the Great.

We suggest to enjoy this tea during the whole day.
Main flavor: Smooth citrus and spice

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I received some of this Prince Vladimir from Kusmi Tea from a tea friend, and I am sorry that I do not recall who sent it to me, but thank you whoever you are. I have not sampled many teas from Kusmi so wanted to give this a try.

This tea is somewhat reminiscent of a chai, but not spot on for one. It has far more citrus flavor than most chai and is far more mellow, which is nice if you are not quite in the mood for a chai tea. The base tea reminds me of the teas my grandmother would drink when I was young, it is very basic. No maltiness or real depth, which is not necessarily a bad thing but something you may want to know. There is a good tea taste however, meaning the flavors do not compromise the flavor of tea itself. The vanilla is light in the flavor profile. The citrus seems to take more of the forefront but the vanilla is present to mellow the citrus notes. It is a nice blend that is mellow, relaxing, and tame. I can see how some would consider this a rather dull blend if they are looking for a strongly flavored tea, but if you want something that is relaxed in the flavor then this is it.

In some ways it reminds me of Constant Comment from Bigelow but it has more flavor, more kick, and more roundness to the blend. I think it is the vanilla that helps round it out.

Getting this as a sample, I am not disappointed at all, however had I paid the 27.95 tag for it I might be. Then again it is a 8.8 ounce tin, and well, I do love tins. I believe there is also a smaller tin, but they are out of stock on them at this time.

There is no astringency and bitterness only comes if you are completely abusive and overstep a lot so it is a really good blend in that aspect. It is just slightly lackluster for a tea at this price point from a well known company. On the other hand I would not label it a tea to stay away from either. I suggest you try to get your hands on a sample and try before you buy.