The Cocktail Collection from Tea Forté, Part 1: Silkroad Chai

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Product Description:

Infuse the flavor of black tea and exotic chai spices into Spirited Tea™ Rum & Tonics, White Russians, or your favorite concoctions.

Taster’s Review:

This Tea Forté Cocktail Mixology Collection is really cool!  The set includes three different teas in the signature Tea Forté silky pyramids:  Silkroad Chai, Lavender Citrus & Lemongrass Mint.  In addition to the tea, there are two glass “infusion chambers” – perfect for infusing these teas – as well as a little recipe booklet.

Today, I am going to write about the Silkroad Chai.

I tried the Silkroad Chai two different ways.  The first, I brewed using the Chai Cooler Mocktail recipe (this recipe was found in the recipe booklet in the Mixology Collection).  To make the Chai Cooler, I simply poured chilled ginger ale over the pyramid infuser (which had been placed in the infusion chamber), and allowed it to infuse for about an hour.

The result is a very tasty alternative to iced chai!  It is sweet and spicy.  I don’t drink a lot of soda, so it is unusual for me to experience carbonation with a chai.  There is an earthiness to the cup.

For my second tasting of Silkroad Chai, I steeped the silk pyramid in the infusion chamber for about 20 minutes in chocolate flavored vodka, and then I warmed up a mixture of sweetened condensed milk and 1% milk, frothed it up added the Silkroad Chai infused vodka, and a little bit of agave nectar.  I continued frothing to incorporate all the ingredients.

With this cocktail, the solvent flavor of the vodka was pretty overwhelming.  But then, I’m not a drinker of alcohol.  This was, in fact, my first alcoholic drink in many months.  Even though I found the vodka rather strong, I could taste the flavors of the chai.  Unlike my aforementioned mocktail, the ginger was not as prevalent, instead, I found myself really tasting the cinnamon.  The flavor of the black tea was light, as was the ginger.  The cloves were a little stronger than in the mocktail and complimented the spicy tones of the cinnamon very well, and this combination seemed to bring out the chocolate flavor of the vodka quite nicely.

Both experiences with this Silkroad Chai were very enjoyable… now I am wondering how it would taste brewed traditionally!