A couple of days ago, on a particularly rainy autumn day in London, I popped to Marylebone for some tea. There’s something very British about being out in cold, blustery weather and warming up with a nice, warm cuppa. I pride myself on being somewhat of a tea connoisseur, I have a shelf full of various loose leaf tea and teabags and I’ve very particular with how my tea is brewed; so when the lovely team at Kusmi tea invited me to their flagship store to learn more about their tea, not even the rain could keep me away.
I’m no stranger to Kusmi tea, their Euphoria tea gets me through the mid-afternoon slump while their BB Detox tea definitely gives me a bit of a glow. Although I’m familiar with the teas, I knew nothing about the brand behind them and I was very surprised to learn that they were Russian. Founded in 1867 by Pavel Michailovitch Kousmichoff, Kusmi relocated to Paris just before the revolution – which explains why I had assumed it was a French company. Learning more about the history of the company gave me a better understanding of their history and their teas, many of which have Russian names.
While learning about their fascinating history, I indulged in a cup of Kusmi’s special limited edition Tsarevna tea. Named after the daughters of the Tsars, the tea is a wonderfully festive black tea subtly blended with spices and orange giving it a slight Christmas scent and a refreshing taste. The tea inspired by the Tsarevnas journey to the heart of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg for Christmas celebrations, complete with an gigantic tree bejewelled with pretty decorations. It’s only fitting that the Tsarevna tea is housed in a beautiful limited edition imperial blue tin adorned with silver glitter.
In addition to the lovely Tsarevna tea, Kusmi have a wider selection of Russian-inspired teas as well as classic, rooibos, flavoured, herbal and wellness teas. My favourites are the BB Detox, which is made with green tea, maté, rooibos, guarana, dandelion and a hint of grapefruit, and the Euphoria tea, which is made with maté, chocolate and orange for a natural boost. If you fancy trying one of their lovely teas, they’re available everywhere from Harrods to John Lewis but I would recommend popping into their store as the staff are so knowledgeable.
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