A dear friend who lives in England sent me some teas in the mail, and they’re all teas I’ve never had. The first tea I decided to try is of course Chai. I can never resist a good Chai. With a name like velvety vanilla, how could I not try it? It is a Chai made with black tea, but I threw my caffeine caution to the wind and brewed a cup. This morning was grey and cool so I needed the extra lift anyway.
Awhile back I tried a vanilla Chai and the vanilla flavor tasted very chemical-y. It tasted like the imitation vanilla flavoring with alcohol in it. That is not the case with this vanilla chai. The vanilla flavor is natural tasting and perfectly balanced with the other chai spices. And the vanilla doesn’t overpower the other spices, and vice versa. This was absolutely delicious, I have no complaints at all. It was as close to a perfect cup of tea as you can get.
This flavor is a limited edition flavor, and I really wish it were widely available year round. It is really a special and delicious tea, and it was worth every drop of caffeine! There are a few online shops selling this delicious flavor, and I can’t recommend it enough! It’s definitely my new favorite chai. Because of the vanilla, I only added a splash of coconut milk and no sweetener and it was still perfectly sweet and delicious. It’s also mildly spiced, so for anyone sensitive to spice this would be perfect!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Twinnings
Description
A limited edition indulgent Chai Latte blending fragrant Indian spices with velvety vanilla from the new Loose Leaf Pyramid range. The resealable bag contains 12 loose leaf pyramid tea bags.
Ingredients: Black tea, vanilla, spice and syrup flavourings (26%).
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Red Chai from Steenberg’s Organics. . ..
I’m always super excited when I find Chai tea that is caffeine free. And when it’s made with rooibos or redbush tea it’s even better. Rooibos tea is so healthy, but drinking it plain isn’t always my favorite. But Chai spices definitely help mask the earthiness of plain rooibos. I brewed this tea and added a little raw sugar and a splash of coconut milk.
It’s a very mellow Chai, not spicy at all. This is the perfect tea for someone who isn’t a huge fan of spice. It’s a very soothing and warming chai, with all of the spices kind of blending together, nothing stands out or is too much.
Since this is caffeine free it’s also perfect to drink anytime of the day. It would be a really tasty after dinner tea.
I like that all of the ingredients including the spices are organic. This chai has redbush tea, cinnamon quills, cardamom pods, cloves, ginger, black pepper and lemongrass. Even though that seems like a lot of spices, as I mentioned it’s very mellow. I could still definitely taste the earthiness of the rooibos tea. So, if you like rooibos and chai, this is definitely the tea for you.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Steenberg’s
Description
Steenbergs Organic Redbush Chai Tea combines with a delicious blend of Steenbergs organic spices with organic redbush tea to create our own wonderful organic redbush chai tea. You brew Steenbergs Organic Redbush Chai Tea in the same way as normal chai tea and can add sugar, honey or milk to taste.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chai Rooibos from Yogi Tea. . . . .
I absolutely love Yogi teas. I love the little uplifting messages on the tea bags, and I’ve never had a flavor I haven’t loved. I also love Chai tea. I’ve been cutting back my caffeine intake, with the goal to completely cut it out of my life. I was kind of nervous to try this at first because I don’t always love Rooibos. I usually drink it for the health benefits, but sometimes I find it a little too earthy for me. But Yogi teas were on a great sale at Natural Grocers so I felt brave enough to try this.
What can I say, it was love at first sip! The delicious blend of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger really stand up and mask the earthiness of the rooibos leaves. It’s spicy, warming and soothing. And the earthiness of the rooibos actually compliments the spices. The tea is a lovely red hue which for some reason made it even more enjoyable to me. The spiciness is there, but not overpowering. I would call this a Chai for beginners. It wouldn’t scare away someone new to Chai.
And because it’s so similar to standard Chai made with black tea, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. And the aromatherapy woke up my senses without the caffeine. I’m very glad I tried this brew, and I will be buying it again and again. It’s a delicious, hearty and warming cup of tea that’s perfect for anytime of the day. Rooibos has so many health benefits such as aiding in digestion, anti aging, and has many minerals including calcium!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Yogi Teas
Description
Evoke the beauty of South Africa with our Chai Rooibos tea—a creative twist on traditional chai. We combine Rooibos, a red tea with antioxidant properties, and a traditional Ayurvedic blend of Cardamom, Cinnamon and Clove. Enjoy the spicy warmth of this intriguingly delicious tea any time of day or night.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.