Ask any tea lover what black tea gives off a very distinct smoky flavor and he will point the obvious: Lapsang Souchong. Known for its distinct aroma, Lapsang Souchong tea is also referred to as Russian Caravan.

It is often called as such mainly because it was brought to Moscow markets via a long arduous overland journey from China. Some believe that its smoky flavor came about from the various campfires that it absorbs throughout its journey to the western market. This is the interesting story behind its aroma.

Another story explaining its distinct aroma is a bit more legendary so to speak. The name Lapsang Souchong literally means smoky variety. The story goes that this type of black tea belonging to Wuyi Bohea family was discovered by accident in Fujian province of China. This serendipitous origin happened in early China when the annual tradition of drying tea leaves was interrupted by a legion of army passing over the tea farming community.

Pressured to keep up with the ongoing demand, tea growers were force to find alternatives to quickly dry their tea leaves. To do so, they came up with a clever idea of placing the leaves over fires created from local pines. This process left a smoky taste on the tea that captured the hearts of tea enthusiasts. And so it goes, a new type of black tea was produced and became popular to this date.

Similar to other classes of black tea, this special tea helps enhances blood flow without causing any known side effects. The chemistry of this tea also promotes sharper mental focus. Another interesting health benefit of this type of black tea is its ability to enhance anti-inflammatory effects along the digestive tract.

Black tea is also being recognized to have a therapeutic effect on intestinal and gastric conditions because of its various chemical components. Tannins,for instance, lowers intestinal activity and alleviates diarrhea occurrences.

Aside from addressing circulation problems, other chemical components of black tea, such as the special Lapsang Souchong tea, fights cholesterol. The chemical theophylline, for instance, is known to improve cholesterol levels by easing up blood flow and help expands airways. The later is crucial particularly to asthma patients.

Aside of its fascinating health benefits, Lapsang souchong is excellent when paired with cheese or spicy dishes. Its aroma is often used as compliment to various culinary preparations. Also, its aroma is harness by most Chinese chefs to help enhance the taste of most food delicacies by preparing them over fuming smoke of Lapsang Souchong Tea.