Carovana Russa, Biologico

I picked this up mainly for cooking, and it's become my secret weapon for braising short ribs — the smoked Ceylon base gives a depth nothing else in my cupboard matches. Steeped on its own it's bold and a bit rustic, definitely not a delicate afternoon tea, but that's exactly what I wanted.

The smoke in this one is no joke — like drinking a campfire in the best way, and it lingers on the tongue for a while after. I've been using it as a base for homemade chai and the smoked Ceylon cuts right through the milk and spices. Genuinely the boldest black tea in my cupboard right now.

Steeped this for about four minutes and the smoky Ceylon base comes through smooth, almost like campfire without the bitterness. I've been drinking it plain in the mornings instead of my usual coffee.