Smoked teas are produced from coarsely harvested teas called souchong. The smokiness of the souchong teas is a result of the tea leaves being dried over burning spruce, which gives them the specific smoky flavour. This process was discovered by accident according to a legend. The legend has it that a tea grower who was forced by the government to give up his warehouse but wanting to save his latest crop, placed the still moist tea leaves over burning spruce. The leaves dried quickly and in the process acquired a smoky flavour. The smoky teas became popular in Europe in the early 19th century.
Russian Caravan - a smoky flavoured tea
An exhilarating blend with a full-bodied flavour, Russian Caravan gets its name from the camel caravans that crossed continents to deliver tea in the 18th Century. This journey led by camels took well over a year to complete. So, you can probably imagine that tea was an aristocratic commodity and a luxury item for quite some time. The sweet, roasted and slightly nutty taste of Formosa Oolong, blended with the smooth, creamy and smoky flavours of Lapsang Souchong create the roller-coaster like blend, which is the Russian Caravan.