Russian Caravan is a blend of black teas named for the camel caravans that once carried tea overland from China to Russia, a journey that could take over a year and left its mark on the tea’s flavor.
The traditional blend combines three Chinese black teas: Keemun, for its wine-like depth; a lighter oolong, for brightness; and Lapsang Souchong, a pine-smoked black tea, for its signature smoky edge. That smokiness is often explained by a bit of tea folklore: legend has it that the leaves picked up campfire smoke and the smell of the camels themselves over months on the trail. Historians are skeptical that the caravan route is really what made these teas smoky, since Lapsang Souchong was deliberately smoked at origin, but the story stuck, and the name has endured since the blend was first sold in the West in the 19th century.
Modern versions of Russian Caravan vary by blender, some leaning smokier, others closer to a straightforward malty black tea, but the throughline is a full-bodied cup with a distinct smoky finish.
