Kusmi Teas

[Texican]

Has anyone tried their blends? I have tried their Prince Vladimir's and it was good, though I don't know if they are really worth the price.

Most of their teas seem to be a variation on Earl Greys, though a few have some surprises thrown in (black tea and buffalo grass :bored:)

Not sure this is traditional Russian tea, though. Might be French flavoring conventions if you ask me. Last time I was serving at a Russian Orthodox church, they had a samovar with tea at coffee hour (with the zavarka, the tea concentrate, and hot water for diluting). I remember it being very smoky, like Lapsang - but cut with a bit of sugar and some lemon.

[Hobbesoxon]

Sounds a bit dodgy! I'm always suspicious of these adulterated blends... :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[Texican]

Sounds a bit dodgy! I'm always suspicious of these adulterated blends... :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

The Prince Vladimir is nice if you want a little departure from the ordinary, plain-jane Bergamot Earl Grey. Unfortunately, I think a metal 125 gram tin is somewhere in the ballpark of 10-11 Euros.

[A.de.Lioncourt]

Sounds a bit dodgy! I'm always suspicious of these adulterated blends... :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

I'm quite the purist as well. I generally find that teas(or most anything else) with added flavoring either:

1. Covers up the desirable nuances of a nice tea.
2. Attempts to cover up the use of inferior tea.

I.e., most flavored teas are made to taste like the flavoring, and not the tea. However, in rare cases the "co-palatey" of added ingredients can enhance the delicate flavors, and grant exquisite depth.

I must say, I'm rather intrigued by the idea of adding a touch of bison grass to a nice medium bodied tea.

[Hobbesoxon]

However, in rare cases the "co-palatey" of added ingredients can enhance the delicate flavors, and grant exquisite depth.

Yes, I make two exceptions!

1. The flavour of shupu (shou pu'er/cooked pu'er) is very amenable to the addition of rice-aroma, and I came across one lovely example (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/04/2005-chunming-nuomixiang-shupu.html) where the steam from rice was allowed to permeate the cake - without actually adding rice.

2. A proper jasmine tea (molihuacha (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/07/2007-molilongzhu.html)), where jasmine flowers are pressed around the tea, allowing the subtle aroma to penetrate the tea.

Note that in both of these cases, the tea is subtly scented rather than being adulterated with additives - it retains the actual character of the leaf to good effect.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

[A.de.Lioncourt]

Yes, I make two exceptions!

1. The flavour of shupu (shou pu'er/cooked pu'er) is very amenable to the addition of rice-aroma, and I came across one lovely example (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/04/2005-chunming-nuomixiang-shupu.html) where the steam from rice was allowed to permeate the cake - without actually adding rice.

2. A proper jasmine tea (molihuacha (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/07/2007-molilongzhu.html)), where jasmine flowers are pressed around the tea, allowing the subtle aroma to penetrate the tea.

Note that in both of these cases, the tea is subtly scented rather than being adulterated with additives - it retains the actual character of the leaf to good effect.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Wonderful descriptions!

My best exception comes from a green tea that an ex-girlfriend bought me a few years ago. It was from some tiny plantation in China, and infused delicately with some type of orchid.

Unlike the sweet gumminess you describe of the Jasmine, the orchid presented itself a bit more bracing and perfumed sitting just right above the vegetal sharpness of the tea, then lingered lightly alongside the richer finish.

As you described, it was very light, actually imperceptible to my ex, and the tea itself was probably the most complex green tea I've tasted.

I wish I had more details about what it was; I will try and contact her to find out more, and let you know.

[Hobbesoxon]

Sounds good to me!

[tim]

For a while I eschewed flavored teas for some of the aforementioned reasons. Of course, I'm a simple, English-style, loose leaf tea drinker*. There are times when blends are enjoyable so why not drink them? I mean (pleading ignorance here), what would a vendor be covering up with an overt flavoring? Wouldn't you be buying the tea for the flavor?

Sometimes I mix an herbal (containing raspberry, strawberry, apple, hibiscus, currant, rosehip, corn flower, and calendula petals) in with a regular rooibos to add some brightness. Technically a tisane, but the same goes for a flavored tea. Sometimes the unusual, flavored tea is appealing and satisfying. About once a month I enjoy (nee, "am compelled to drink") a guilty pleasure of a "Cocoa Cardamom Tango" black tea. Heresy you say!? Well, admittedly, in the office, I still primarily reach for the "unflavored." I don't know to what degree we can safely call a given tea "pure" or "unflavored."

* Searches were fun yet unproductive for a local, inexpensive gaiwan: No joy at World Market and several, very East Asian markets in Dallas (each featuring more or less Taiwanese, Chinese, or Vietnamese merchandise). I found a gaiwan at an "antique" store for $90, though! Not even a maker on the back (just "made in china" rubber-stamped). I will probably order one on-line with some loose leaf Pu-Ehr samples.

P.S. - I recall another thread talking about being untrusting of tea sold in clear containers. In one of the markets with a full isle, floor-to-ceiling with tea (about 50% broken in teabags), I could discern only a few tea labels that also included English. I was suddenly glad some of these sealed and certified containers were clear glass so I could see the product. Vendors making the best of a situation where the consumer can't (or shouldn't?) open the containers, I guess.

Cheers,
Tim.

[MikeNYC]

I have been drinking Kusmi Teas for 6 months now and my favorite blend is Kusmi Bouquet of Flowers. Excellent and worth a price. First, the cup has no stains after finishing drinking tea. So it is pure tea without any artificial additives. Probably it's not in top 5 tea quality, but its absolutely top-notch product in teabag variety. If you want a no fuss tea experience, that would be it.

[JesseR]

I really enjoy Kusmi teas, especially the Chocolate and Spicy Chocolate loose teas. The tea leaves are very large, and it tastes like quality. The metal tins are a nice touch, and I believe you can find some of the varieties on Amazon.

[shah8]

Bumping up old thread in order to say that yeah...

Kusmi tea is da bomb and well worth the money for people who liked flavored tea.

And yes, I *loved* the Zoubrovka, that tea with the buffalo grass.

Well done flavored teas do have their place, tho' Kusmi is very expensive for flavored tea.

[JEEP]

I started my tea journey with Kusmi teas, with Russian Earl Grey, Prince Wladimir, Troika and Russian Evening being my favourites.

But, then I discovered good quality green teas, then oolong and lastly puerh. Since that revelation I have rarely touched black tea - and only one flavoured (in addition to a few pure ones, like Darjeeling and Yunnan) black tea remain in my collection; a high quality Imperial Earl Grey.

I recently gave away my entire collection of Kusmi teas. Having tried a cup or two now and then I had to conclude that I have come to find these heavily flavoured black teas quite nauseating.

Another issue I have with Kusmi teas is the price; they are imho way too expensive. If you go to a proper tea store (or shop online) you can get both better and fresher wariants of their blends for much less.


Regards.

Jakob