Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Chico Chai
Chai Description:
Fair Trade Organic black tea and exotic organic spices are hand-blended to create this spicy, aromatic tea. Blended in small batches, by hand in Chico, California. Only Organic Ingredients and Fair Trade Organic teas are used to make Chico Chai.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
As some of you may remember, I’ve already reviewed the strong brew original chai concentrate from Chico Chai, and I loved it. But sometimes, I want a cup of spicy tea without the latte … and that’s when a loose leaf tea like this Original Chai from Chico Chai comes in. This gives me the spicy flavor I’m craving without the heavy creaminess of a latte. Don’t get me wrong, I love that thick, rich, creamy taste of a chai latte. It’s yummy … but sometimes I just want spice without the milk.
Of course, you can easily turn this into a latte too by simply brewing it extra strong (add an extra teaspoon or two of the loose leaf to your teapot when you steep it) and then adding steamed milk to the brewed product. A frothing tool will add that light, creamy top of the latte that you’ll get in a coffee shop (and pay six bucks a pop for!) Or … if you really want to go traditional, you can prepare this “stovetop” by simmering the spices in a milk/water combination and straining the spices. That produces a really delicious chai … but it also produces a mess which is why I prefer to make my lattes brewing it strong in water, and then adding steamed milk to the brewed tea.
But … if you’re like me and like to enjoy a good, spicy cup of tea without the latte sometimes … this loose leaf Original Chai from Chico Chai is just the thing. It’s a really flavorful chai! Lots of spice to it – including a really nice touch of anise in there! I love that licorice-y taste! – but I like that I can also taste the rich, malty Assam in this blend too.
I like that the cinnamon does not overpower the cup, I taste the cinnamon, but I also taste the peppery edge from the ginger and black pepper. And the warmth of the cardamom and I think I even taste a hint of vanilla to this too … nice!
There is a hint of nutty nutmeg flavor in this, and I love it when a chai has nutmeg. I think it’s one of those very underused spices for chai … something that is often overlooked as a spice but something that adds such a wonderful dimension of flavor that it’s so awesome when I do find a chai that has nutmeg.
I think I should also take a moment to mention the tin that this chai was packaged in. It’s a double lidded tin, with a tight fitted inner lid that seals in all the spice. I really found myself appreciating this tin as I was opening it this morning, because as I was opening it, I found myself wondering why I hadn’t yet had my senses overwrought with the aroma of spice. The inner lid managed to seal in all the spices so that I couldn’t smell them until I got that lid open! I think that how tea is packaged is something that is often overlooked by some companies, but I like that Chico Chai thought about this when they selected their tins!
This chai has a really nice balance of spices that is deliciously warm without setting my palate on fire. This makes a perfect cuppa for cold, wet autumn days like this one! Have I mentioned lately that I’m glad that autumn is finally here?
PRODUCT REVIEW: Ready-to-Drink Original Iced Bhakti Chai
Product Information:
Antioxidant rich black tea, fresh ginger, spices and a touch of soy milk.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
While out shopping at Whole Foods, I found Bhakti Chai! Having previously tried their Chai concentrates, I knew I would enjoy this Ready-to-Drink Original Iced Bhakti Chai, so I grabbed a bottle of it. (In case you’re wondering, my favorite of the concentrates is the Unsweetened Chai.)
I really enjoyed this RTD Chai … although, I must say that I really prefer the concentrate because I can control the type (and amount) of milk product that is added. This ready-to-drink iced chai is made with soy milk, and I found the texture of this to be somewhat lacking.
Yeah, I know it’s the hip thing to like soy milk, but, I prefer good old cow’s milk. Or, if I need to go dairy-free, I’ll go with an almond milk. Soy just doesn’t do it for me. One thing I will say about the soy … it was less creamy and heavy tasting, which was nice for this very warm, end of the summer day.
But I was happy that this tasted as spicy as I remember Bhakti Chai tasting. Lots of fiery ginger and warm spice. This is sweetened, so it is a little sweeter than I usually go for when it comes to chai but, it is still a really tasty RTD, and better than a lot of the RTDs that are out there.
Overall, I really enjoyed this Chai, and I was happy to find it at my local Whole Foods. I tried to find the concentrate at Whole Foods too, but, I didn’t find it anywhere. I would love for them to start carrying the concentrate because this is a yummy, delicious, ginger-y chai!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Original Masala Chai Tea Mix from Jaipur Avenue
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Jaipur Avenue
Product Description:
An adventure through spicy notes, soothing aromas and velvet textures.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This mix makes an unbelievably good chai!
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about this product before trying it, because I’ve not always had the best of luck with chai mixes. Many that I’ve tried have been way too sweet, but this one, while it is sweetened, isn’t too sweet. It has a very pleasant balance of spice and sweetness and creaminess while still allowing the flavor of the black tea to come through.
The black tea is the least distinguishable of the flavors of this cup, but that does not mean that it is indistinguishable. It is a full-flavored black tea which lends a very pleasing backdrop for the spices of this blend to do their thing.
And those spices do their thing very well! They begin very subtle, but within the time that it takes to take two or three sips, I noticed that the warmth of the peppery ginger began to heat the back of my throat. The spice blend tastes spicy and exotic, and what I’m enjoying most of all about the blend of spices used here is that while it does create a spicy cup, I think it is at a level that even those who tend to steer clear of spicy teas can enjoy it.
This may be due in part to the addition of dry milk to the mix, which lends a soft, creamy note to the cup and allow the delivery of the tea and spices to be a very smooth one. In other words, your palate is not set afire by the spices in this product, it is warmed gently, allowing the temperature of the spices to build gradually, making for a very enjoyable chai experience!
I prepared this product according to package instructions: I poured the contents of the package into a mug, added a small amount of boiling water, then stirred it until the powders were dissolved. Then I added more boiling water and got out my frothing tool and began frothing it. The result is a rich, foamy cup of deliciously spicy chai that not only helped warm me up on this chilly winter’s morning, but also helped to wake me up!
This stuff is awesome!
Original Masala Chai from Yogic Chai
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Yogic Chai
Tea Description:
Organic Assam Tea, Organic Green Cardamom, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Cloves & Organic Ginger.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m quite sure I’ve said this (or something like this) before, but it bears repeating: When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a cup of chai. The heat of the masala spices warms you from the inside out.
And Yogic Chai makes some of my favorite chai blends. And this blend is where it all started! The blend is a perfectly balanced combination of just four spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger. These are the four “usual suspects” when it comes to chai blends, and there are some tea companies that add some other spices, while others may omit one or two of the usual suspects, sometimes in favor of other spices, sometimes not. But really, when it comes to chai, the combination of spices that Yogic Chai uses is classic, but they have blended them masterfully as to create one of a very memorable chai.
Smooth, rich Assam tea makes up the base of this chai. It is strong enough to offer a distinct flavor contribution, even though it is immersed in some rather spicy surroundings. It has a malty character and does not taste bitter (although, as with all teas, I recommend not over-steeping as this may produce a bitter taste).
This is my second tea from my Janauary Steepster Select box, and it is a good one. I’ve tried many teas from Yogic Chai, but this is the first time I’ve tried the Original! Delicious served straight and it makes an awesome latte too, although I think its best served without the milk, adding just a little turbinado sugar to accent the spices. This way I get more impact from the spices, as I think that the addition of milk seems to mute the spices just a bit. This one is yummy any way you choose to serve it!
Lapsang Souchong from Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden
About This Tea:
The story goes that Lapsang Souchong was first created when the Wuyi region’s annual tea drying process was interrupted by army movement. To compensate for the missed drying period, tea farmers hung their tea over pinewood fires, consequently imparting a distinctive smoky flavor and aroma. Our Lapsang Souchong is sourced by Mark Ukra, co-owner of Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden, who comes from a family of Middle Eastern tea merchants dating back 400 years. Drink Lapsang Souchong plain or try it as a spice or rub for cooking.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
January’s Steepster Select box brought teas that to help warm us up from Winter’s Chill. The first tea that I tried from the box was this Lapsang Souchong, which is a little unusual for me since it’s one of my least favorite teas (well, not this Lapsang Souchong, but Lapsang Souchong in general is one of my least favorite teas).
But this is no ordinary Lapsang Souchong. This is easily the best that I’ve ever tried. Now, I can’t say that I’ve tried a lot of Lapsang Souchong teas, as it is one of those teas that I tend to avoid, but I have tried a few, and I’ve even managed to – slowly – get my palate more accustomed to the unique flavor experience of Lapsang Souchong. While I am slowly gaining an appreciation for this strong, smoky tea, it is still sometimes difficult for me to get past it.
This Lapsang Souchong from Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden has been a real eye-opening experience for me. I am not just “appreciating” this tea … I’m LOVING it!
The first couple of sips are quite smoky. But once I get past those first sips, I find wonderful flavors await me. I can actually taste the pine here, and that is something that I didn’t really experience in previous Lapsang Souchong tastings. I may have tasted mere hints of pine in the distance, but, mostly what I tasted was smoke and the caramel undertone. Here, the pine is quite distinct and it is lovely.
The caramel undertones are there as well, giving a very pleasant sweetness to the smoky overtones. But what I find especially enjoyable is the way that the caramel undertones meld with the pine notes. The flavors here are deep and intriguing.
A very unique Lapsang Souchong, and I have Steepster Select for bringing it to me!