Russian Caravan Black Tea

A bold historic-style blend of robust Assam and smoky Lapsang Souchong, with deep black-tea character and a lingering touch of woodsmoke inspired by the great overland tea routes between China and Russia.

The Experience

Russian Caravan Black Tea is for the drinker who wants a strong traditional black tea with a distinctive smoky edge—not a heavily smoked cup.

This orthodox blend combines bold Assam with Lapsang Souchong, creating a full, substantial foundation with just enough smoke to add depth and intrigue. Assam contributes strength and body, while Lapsang Souchong brings its characteristic woodsmoke aroma.

The result is bold, warming, and savory rather than sweet. If you've been curious about smoky tea but find a straight Lapsang Souchong intimidating, Russian Caravan is an excellent introduction: the smoke is part of the composition rather than the entire experience.

Tasting Notes

Top: Gentle woodsmoke • Toasted aromatics
Mid: Bold black tea • Malty depth
Finish: Warming • Smoky • Lingering
Body: Bold

Why You’ll Love It

• A classic-style Russian Caravan tea
• Bold Assam balanced with smoky Lapsang Souchong
• Smoky without being as intense as straight Lapsang
• Pure tea with no added flavoring
• Orthodox, traditional leafy tea
• Excellent for customers who enjoy robust, savory black teas
• A fascinating cup for exploring the history of tea trade and travel

Origin, Grade & Ingredients

Tea Type: Pure Black Tea Blend
Style: Orthodox (Traditional Leafy)
Grade: OP — Orange Pekoe
Origins: China, India & Sri Lanka
Elevation: Approximately 1,500–2,000 m (~5,000–6,500 ft)
Ingredients: Black tea
Added Flavoring: None
Caffeine: Yes
Body: Bold

How to Brew

Use 1 heaping teaspoon with The Perfect Measure Spoon per 8 oz / 237 ml of water at 212°F / 100°C.

Mild: 2–3 minutes
Medium: 4–5 minutes
Strong: 6–7 minutes

For your first cup, we recommend starting around 3 minutes and drinking it straight. This makes it easier to distinguish the maltier black-tea foundation from the smoky Lapsang Souchong. If you enjoy a traditional robust cup, Russian Caravan can also stand up well to a splash of milk.

Perfect For

Russian Caravan is particularly satisfying on cold mornings, rainy afternoons, fireside evenings, or whenever you want a black tea with more depth than a conventional breakfast blend. Pair it with dark chocolate, aged cheese, toasted bread, savory pastries, roasted nuts, smoked foods, or hearty breakfast dishes.

The Story of Russian Caravan Tea

Russian Caravan takes its name from the historic overland tea trade connecting China with Russia and Central Asia.

For centuries, tea was transported enormous distances across Asia before reaching Russian markets. The journey helped establish a strong Russian tea culture, eventually associated with the samovar, the distinctive vessel traditionally used to keep hot water ready for preparing and serving tea. Over time, “Russian Caravan” became associated with blends of Chinese and other black teas, often with a smoky character.

A romantic story sometimes told about these teas suggests that their smokiness came from exposure to campfires during the long caravan journey. It's a wonderful image—tea crossing the cold Asian landscape by camel beneath smoky night skies—but it is better understood as tea lore than a reliably documented explanation for the style.

In this blend, the smoky character comes from Lapsang Souchong.

Where Does the Smoke Come From?

Russian Caravan contains no added smoke flavoring. Its smoky character comes from Lapsang Souchong, the famous Chinese black-tea style traditionally associated with smoke during processing.

That distinction matters. When you see “smoky” in our tasting notes, it describes what you'll experience in the cup. When you read “black tea” in the ingredient list, that's what's actually in the blend.

Russian Caravan therefore provides an excellent example of how dramatically processing and tea selection can change flavor without adding fruit, spices, or flavoring to the tea.

Russian Caravan vs. Lapsang Souchong

If you're deciding between the two, think about how much smoke you want.

• Russian Caravan
  Bold black tea • Malt • Gentle smoke
  → The smoke is an accent within a broader black-tea blend.
• Lapsang Souchong
  Woodsmoke • Pine • Distinctive smoky character
  → The smoky tea itself is the central experience.

If you've never tried a smoky tea before, start with Russian Caravan. If you finish the cup wishing the smoke were stronger, Lapsang Souchong should be your next stop.

What Does “Orange Pekoe” Mean?

The OP — Orange Pekoe designation is a tea-leaf grade, not a flavor. There is no orange in Russian Caravan. Orange Pekoe is a traditional grading term associated with the leaf style of orthodox black tea. This is an important distinction because customers sometimes understandably assume that “Orange Pekoe” means the tea contains orange. Here, the ingredients remain simply black tea.

Packaging: Our loose teas are sold by the ounce and packaged in food-grade resealable bags.

Explore Our Smoky & Historic Black Teas

Russian Caravan Black Tea (This Tea)
Bold • Malty • Gently smoky
→ Best for: discovering smoky tea without committing to the intensity of straight Lapsang Souchong

Lapsang Souchong Black Tea
Woodsmoke • Pine • Bold
→ Try next if: the smoky character is your favorite part and you want to experience it at full strength

Moscow Nights Black Tea
Bergamot • Smoke • Citrus
→ Try next if: you enjoy Russian Caravan's smoke but want a more aromatic interpretation with bergamot

Eight at the Fort Black Tea
Balanced • Complex • Subtle smoke
→ Try next if: you want the smoky element to become even more restrained within a complex multi-tea blend

Queen Catherine Black Tea
Bittersweet chocolate • Leather • Chinese black tea
→ Try next if: you enjoy Russian Caravan's darker, savory personality but want to explore it without smoke