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“Backlogging. 11 days ago. Wednesday morning. I’ve been reading about people blending two teas to create the smokey cowboy earl grey. But I’ve put off trying it even though I was intrigued. I did...” Read full tasting note
“Still watering the garden. I planted 5 different varieties of Sweet Potatoes this year. Some of them are showing great signed on productivity! Others don’t appear to be all that robust. No matter,...” Read full tasting note
“Since Steepster is featuring Andrews & Dunham today, I thought maybe it was time for yet another debut for me. Because their Caravan is the third of the smokies that Auggy shared with me. I...” Read full tasting note
“I’m seriously in love with smoky teas. No, correction: I’m seriously in lust with them. It’s a physical craving. None of this emotional, touchy feely crap. We’re talking pure, visceral...” Read full tasting note
If even half of the stories are true, let it be a testament to the durability of rock musicians that Carävan lasted as long as they did. With a ticket paid in full by the charms of singer and guitarist Ian Black, Carävan rode the mind-numbing rhythms of Phil Steep (bass) and Gryph “Smoke” Upley (drums) down dark highways for four years. Black’s bizarre and tragic death in 1979 put the brakes on this trio’s wild ride. The surviving band members and their music have since been plagued by personal, legal and (by some accounts) supernatural misfortune to such an extent that the survival of their master recordings is a remarkable feat in itself. What remains today is a body of work that reveals a surprising sweetness, albeit richly draped in the fiery brimstone of Carävan’s legendary hard-rocking sound.
Carävan is a smoky blend of black teas. Steep in boiling water for four minutes — more if you can stand it. It is best enjoyed in an 11-ounce mug.
Andrews & Dunham knows that nothing beats a perfect cup of tea, and a great tea needs no explanation. We love the romance of tea. We love that tea might just be the healthiest thing you’ll ever drink. But if the tea you’re drinking doesn’t taste fantastic, you’re missing out. Only a few teas meet our mysterious, rigorous standards and we’re proud to offer them to you. We’re always looking for that perfect cup, so you don’t have to.
I don’t usually appreciate smokey teas much, mainly because those that I had used massive amounts of smokey flavouring to cover the taste of poor quality tea. This sample, from the kind and wonderful Terri, surprised me. It’s not overpoweringly smokey, but more in the range of Keemun smokey. It also has a sweetness, and even a slight nuttiness to it. Very nice, although I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to stock it. This is more a matter of personal preference than a matter of the tea being of poor quality. By all means, if you like smokey teas, this one is probably a must. Thank you for the experience Terri! Even though this was a sip down, I may try to resteeep what I have, just to see how it resteeps.
I have to admit, I had reservations after smelling the dry leaves. I’m still kind of new to smoky smoky blacks, and it had a smell reminiscent of… smoked ham? Okay, that’s not quite right. I warmed up to the smell the second time—more like leather, aged like an old theatre, quite rusty. How is this going to taste, I wonder?
Well, nothing like ham, I’ll tell you that. After a proper steep it tastes deep, smoky, and quite sweet. It’s really something complex and wonderful. You know that smell in October that reminds you of a candle that’s just been put out? It’s like that, but with a rich sweetness right at the end. Really wonderful, and perfect for a fall day.
I’ve not been looking forward to tasting this one. The smell of the dry leaves was overpoweringly smoky… and the flavor, while far more mellow, is just too strong for me. I brewed just a single cup, which I rarely do, and have had to force myself to finish it. I don’t think I’ll use the rest of the tin, which is a bit of a shame.
I am sure that you’d be able to find someone on here who would be willing to trade you for a tea that is more to your liking, because there are quite a few fans of this tea here.
Thanks. I planned on trying to swap some of my teas once I finally decide which ones are going.
The leaves have a mesquite smoke aroma that mellows substantially once brewed. The dark amber liquor smells more like the memory of a campfire. The flavor is much milder than the aroma with a gentle brown sugar sweetness that offsets the dominant, mildly astringent, woodsy taste. The mesquite smoke returns as a persistent aftertaste.
Dry tea is very smoky, smells like some good unflavored pipe tobacco. Smoky, campfire-esque, warm and woody aroma when steeped. Extremely smooth on the tongue, but can be overpowering if over-brewed. Flavor is very dark and complex, but not bitter. The taste is reminiscent of Thai iced tea. A smooth finish with subtle sweetness.
I don’t typically partake of smoky black teas very often, but I can’t really think of a good reason why. This tea will probably change that a bit…I wasn’t sure how much I would like it from the scent and the first sip or two, but it grew on me pretty quickly. I’m looking forward to a second steeping when I get back home, and will probably experiment with trying it a little stronger in the future (not to say that it’s lacking in that area at four minutes). Smoky and a little sweet, I’m a fan.
