I can’t think of a more fitting combination than ex-Soviet countries and…smoke. In this case, it’s a variant on the Russian Caravan formula, only – uh – formerly Russian(?). Georgian-grown leaves are put to a similar smoky treatment as the other Caravan, except that there was no Lapsang in it. Even better. That means all of the leaves have been smoked. That pleases my inner man. Er, I mean, outer. I mean…shut up.
The leaf appearance was like the two other Georgian teas I tried from Tea Embassy. They have an odd, but very appealing, hand-rolled shape to them with an even black shape. It wasn’t as tippy as the others, but who expects that from a smoked tea? As expected from the aroma, it was all hickory and charcoal. Gah, it’s been too long since I’ve had a smoked drink. I was jonesin’.
I subjected to as manly a treatment I could think of for a smoked tea – 2 tsp. in 16oz. of boiled water for five minutes. I wanted to swig this from a pint glass. There was no other acceptable way.
The liquor brewed to a dark amber with an even forest fire aroma. The taste was what I was hoping for – not all smoke but not too little smoke. The balanced, semi-floral/semi-malt flavor of the Georgian tea was there, and the smoky edition acted as a good capper. That and it lit a fire under my chaff in the morning. In [former Soviet] Georgia, tea really does smoke you.
