Russian Caravan
Encyclopedia
Russian Caravan is a blend of Oolong
, Keemun
and Lapsang Souchong
teas, all produced from Camellia sinensis
—(Linnaeus) Kuntze
, 1887—
the Chinese tea plant. It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty taste. Although a Chinese tea
, its name originates from the 18th century camel caravan
s that facilitated the transcontinental tea trade from tea-producing areas (namely India, Ceylon and China) to Europe via Russia. "It took at least half a year to make the six-thousand-mile journey
from the Chinese border to Russia, and the voyage was harsh." Some varieties do not include Lapsang Souchong, thus having a less smoky flavor.
The anecdotal evidence had it that during the camel caravan journeys, the teas took on the smoky taste of the campfires yet Russian Caravan teas do not strictly qualify as 'smoked teas'.
Oolong
Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties...
, Keemun
Keemun tea
Keemun is a black Chinese tea with a winey and fruity taste, designated as a China Famous Tea.-History:Keemun is produced in the Qimen County of Huangshan City, in Anhui province. Keemun has a relatively short history...
and Lapsang Souchong
Lapsang souchong
Lapsang souchong is a black tea originally from the Wuyi region of the Chinese province of Fujian. It is sometimes referred to as smoked tea...
teas, all produced from Camellia sinensis
Camellia sinensis
Camellia sinensis is the species of plant whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce Chinese tea. It is of the genus Camellia , a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. White tea, green tea, oolong, pu-erh tea and black tea are all harvested from this species, but are processed...
—(Linnaeus) Kuntze
Otto Kuntze
Otto Carl Ernst Kuntze was a German botanist.-Biography:Otto Kuntze was born in Leipzig.An apothecary in his early career, he published an essay entitled Pocket Fauna of Leipzig. Between 1863 and...
, 1887—
the Chinese tea plant. It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty taste. Although a Chinese tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, its name originates from the 18th century camel caravan
Camel train
A camel train is a series of camels carrying goods or passengers in a group as part of a regular or semi-regular service between two points. Although they rarely travelled faster than the walking speed of a man, camels' ability to handle harsh conditions made camel trains a vital part of...
s that facilitated the transcontinental tea trade from tea-producing areas (namely India, Ceylon and China) to Europe via Russia. "It took at least half a year to make the six-thousand-mile journey
Siberian Route
The Siberian Route , also known as the Moscow Route and Great Route , was a historic route that connected European Russia to Siberia and China. Previously Siberian transport had been mostly by river via Siberian River Routes...
from the Chinese border to Russia, and the voyage was harsh." Some varieties do not include Lapsang Souchong, thus having a less smoky flavor.
The southern route by Odessa is far cheaper, but the tea is supposed to suffer in flavour in its transit through the tropical seas, while it improves in its passage through the cold dry climate of Mongolia and Siberia, by losing that unpleasant taste of firing [whereby tea was dried using direct heat]. As Russian epicures believe that a peculiar delicacy of flavor is imparted to it by the slight moisture it absorbs when nightly unloaded and placed on the snow-covered steppes, the enhanced price it commands compensates for the greater expense and difficulty of its carriage by this route.
The anecdotal evidence had it that during the camel caravan journeys, the teas took on the smoky taste of the campfires yet Russian Caravan teas do not strictly qualify as 'smoked teas'.
Further reading
- Chen, Vincent. Sino-Russian Relations in the Seventeenth Century. The Hague: Martinus NijhoffMartinus NijhoffMartinus Nijhoff was a Dutch poet and essayist. He studied literature in Amsterdam and law in Utrecht. His debut was made in 1916 with his volume De wandelaar...
, 1966. - Parkes, Harry SmithHarry Smith ParkesSir Harry Smith Parkes was a 19th century British diplomat who worked mainly in China and Japan...
. "Report on the Russian Caravan Trade with China". Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of LondonJournal of the Royal Geographical Society of LondonThe Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London was a scholarly geographic journal published by the Royal Geographical Society from 1831 to 1880....
24 (1854): 306–312.
External links
- Denis Shumakov, "Black tea blends: Russian Caravan", TeaTips.info.