This was one of the teas in a six-set Kusmi sampler that my parents brought back from their recent trip to Paris alongside some Damman Freres (although no Mariage Freres or hand-blown French tea pots . . . thanks, Mum!) although it is one of about ten Kusmi teas I have been interested in trying.
On initial inspection, the tightly rolled Gunpowder pellets are fairly even in size. The scent is rather strong, reminiscent of traditional boiled sweets or stodgy-English puddings and desserts. It’s not quite citrus and not quite caramel. The scent intensifies when hot water is poured into the tea pot.
After brewing for just under three minutes, the colour is a beautiful, light-caramel colour. My initial impression is that it’s an interesting blend, perhaps rather too complex to make more than the occasional appearance at afternoon tea. Perhaps future tastings may change this, but I find red fruits in my tea a little too intense to drink on a regular basis. The sweetness of the caramel tempers the earthy leatheriness of regular gunpowder tea and gives a full-bodied mouthfeel, the red fruits leaves a tingling sensation on the centre of the tongue between each mouthful, but I can’t really detect the vanilla.
It’s rather fitting that I’m drinking this very French tea – despite it’s Russian origins – out of those ubiquitous French espresso glasses which are just perfect for white, green and fruit teas. I would be interested in learning of any real connection that this tea has to St Petersburg, or is just one of a series of Kusmi teas bearing a Russian name? At any rate, I will definitely be trying this tea again, perhaps at a French-themed afternoon tea.
you have managed ! I have managed as well to terminate this one too :) I didn’t even make a tea note about it….
I was fondling Kusmi tins today, seriously. I resisted so far, and this is making me glad I did.
you know when I love some brand tins, I try to find them empty on the second hand market…and I buy them to put teas I love.
I bought recently 2 collector kusmi tins edited in 2007 and I filled them with 2 Mariage Frères teas.
I have paid 8 € for 2 tins like this : http://www.linternaute.com/paris/shopping/selection/cadeaux-noel/3.shtml
Mine are blue and rose and I can pile them up as they are stackable !
Oh, they are lovely indeed. But to buy tins, on their own, there are lovely empty ones anyway – and I reuse a lot of tins which came my way, with paper and labels (or washi tape, which is awesome). Baking powder tins are great because they close nicely and got no smells, and while I was dubious about paprika tins, I washed one on the dishwasher and let it sit for a couple months unused and it got no smell either. I paste some pretty paper over it, some varnish on top, then a label, and a new tea tin to my own taste!
But there is something still irresistible about tins filled with tin in shops – will be strong!
yes I have 4 or 5 washi tin but they are expensive here (really much affordable in Sweden) I made my calculations and if was doing my own washi tin, price would be the same (15 or 20 euros).
I suppose washi are not so expensive in Japan…I’ll need to visit this country :)
Here washi tins are about 12 to 20 euros, so wow for sweden, that sounds lovely.
But are you sure making tins with washi paper is so expensive? I do not know how much those cannisters would be, and it´s expensive to buy supplies to just one thing (glue, varnish, whatever) but if making several I am surprised that the price would be so much. A sheet of chiyogami paper is about 4 or 5 euros and enough for a couple tins at least – and usually there are much cheaper papers which are also nice like italian papers, or origami paper or scrapbooking papers (like 1 euro a sheet and good enough for a tin). Worth checking about it! LOL, or maybe I am just trying to addict you to a an associate tea hobby ;)
lucky you ! here the half sheet is almost 8 € !
look : http://www.adelineklam.com/store/feuilles-papiers-washi-japonais/Fleurs
and the tin (with double cover) is near 6 € …
But I would love to do my own tins…I’ll check the italian papers :)
Not sure I am so lucky, because the choice I have here is much smaller, but those japanese papers are indeed very very expensive! Check on etsy or ebay, wait will mail you some links!