Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Guayusa
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
Spice things up with our Winter Fire guayusa. We started out with a generous amount of cinnamon then ground up some whole chilies and added a touch of cayenne to our guayusa base. The result is a cinnamon flavor that packs some heat with a smooth molasses undertone. This guayusa works well without sugar; however, add a little sugar for a flavor that resembles red hot candy.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This Winter Fire Guayusa Blend from Butiki Teas has got some SERIOUS kick to it! I doubt anyone could accuse this tisane of wimping out – it brings the heat, and then turns it up … way up! If this winter weather has left you feeling cold, just brew yourself a cup of this tisane and it will warm you right up!
But, as the description suggests, there is a smooth molasses undertone to it too. Once your palate gets past that striking heat, there are some really delightful flavors to explore.
The fiery heat from the cayenne, chilies and cinnamon sort of mask the coffee-ish flavors of the guayusa at first, but as I continue to sip on this, I start to notice those coffee notes. There is a sweet, molasses-like flavor to the cup as well.
The prominent flavors are – quite obviously – the spices of this tisane. It’s a little jarring at first, just how spicy this is, but, once your mouth begins to get used to the heat, you’ll find you’re able to explore the other notes and you’ll find that there’s more to this than just the spice.
Those who can’t handle spicy-hot … this is not a tisane for you. This is for those who like it hot!
Mexican Cocoa Rooibos Blend from Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Honeybush
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
Mexican Cocoa Rooibos is a Trail Lodge exclusive herbal tisane. You’ll feel like you’re having a Mexican Fiesta when you sip this tea. It’s a rooibos and honeybush blend with the perfect amount of cocoa and chilli. There’s just enough chilli to give it a little kick, and it will help warm you up an a cool day. Add milk for an extra special treat. Ingredients: Organic Rooibos, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Honeybush, Organic Cacao Bits, Chocolate Seeds, Organic Safflower, Organic Chili Flakes and Natural Flavor.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This Mexican Cocoa Rooibos Blend from Trail Lodge Tea is seriously YUMMY! I’m not always big on rooibos, but, I find this blend to be very good, and I attribute this to a couple of factors: first, the rooibos used in this blend is organic rooibos, and I’ve found that there is a notable difference in taste between organic rooibos and conventionally grown rooibos. Second, the base of this tisane is crafted not just of organic rooibos but organic honeybush as well, and I find that tisanes created using both of these South African herbs are very tasty.
And … let us NOT forget about the CHOCOLATE! This blend has lots of chocolate-y flavor, enough to bring a big smile to this chocoholic’s face. I also love the fact that there is a touch of spice from the chili pepper flakes in this blend. There is just enough of the pepper flakes to add a gentle warmth that gradually increases, offering a very soft “burning” sensation in the throat without becoming too spicy or hot. I like that gentle warmth that radiates in the throat, and I LOVE the contrast of the spicy notes with the sweet, rich chocolate flavor.
The spice is further accentuated with the addition of cinnamon … adding a touch more warm spice but also a nice hint of sweetness to the cup. I like the way the cinnamon is represented in this tisane … there is a pleasing cinnamon note that gives the overall cup a very satisfying “Mexican Cocoa” kind of flavor … but they didn’t go overboard with the cinnamon. Cinnamon can often be a selfish spice in blends – but it’s not like that with this blend, and I applaud Trail Lodge Tea for managing to keep this tisane so nicely balanced.
I also applaud Trail Lodge Tea for going the extra mile with this tisane, and turning it into a “charitea” – for every 2 ounces of this tisane that is purchased, a dollar is donated to the “Ninos of Mexico.” Here’s what Trail Lodge Tea says about this charitea:
Trail Lodge Tea now has a new “charitea” that is also are own exclusive blend. It’s called Mexican Cocoa Rooibos. You will feel like you are having a Mexican Fiesta when you sip this tea. It is made of a blend of rooibos and honeybush with just the right combination of chocolate, chili, and flavoring as well as other high quality ingredients. Trail Lodge tea is donating a portion of every sale of this tea to Ninos de Mexico. That’s why we call it a “charitea”. Ninos de Mexico is a wonderful Christian Mission that’s main purpose is to help orphaned and at-risk children living in the Mexico City area. They do this by raising children in loving Christian homes and providing the children with medical care and education. The mission currently runs four homes for children, a medical clinic, and a private school. So you can enjoy some delicious tea and help disadvantaged children at the same time. Click the link below to learn more about Ninos de Mexico or go to the herbal tea page to order some Mexican Cocoa Rooibos.
I like this tisane … not only for its amazing chocolate flavor and warm spice notes … and not only because its all ORGANIC … but also because when I sip it, I know that there are children who are benefiting from this charitable organization.
Mad Tea Party from Indie Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Indie Tea
Tea Description:
Steeping Steeping Little Pot, How I Love You Quite A Lot, Chocolate, Chiles, Cherries Too, Make A Tasty Pu-Erh Brew!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I didn’t read the description of this Mad Party tea from Indie Tea before I brewed it, and by a quick look at the leaves, I figured it was a black tea blend … not a pu-erh! Had I known it was pu-erh, I probably would have done a quick pre-rinse, but, as it is, this is really quite enjoyable … even without the pre-rinse. The aroma is quite earthy, the flavor is not quite as earthy … which is usually why I like to pre-rinse my pu-erh anyway … to rinse away some of the earthy flavor.
The first couple of sips – sipped while still fresh from the teapot hot – were earthy … and tasted of strong pu-erh. After the cup cooled slightly, the flavors of chocolate, cherry and chili began to pop. I noticed a hint of smokiness to the cup. The pu-erh base is rich and mellow, and allows the flavors to express themselves in a really delicious way.
The chocolate tastes rich and smooth … the cherry has a sweet yet tart taste to it, and the chili … while spicy … doesn’t attempt to offend the tastebuds by overwhelming them with heat. It’s a gentle heat … and it slowly builds as I continue to sip. But even now, as I pass the halfway point of my cup … the heat is still quite subtle and really very lovely. The back of the throat feels warm without feeling assaulted by chipotle chili.
The chocolate is the real star of this cup … and I suspect this has a lot to do with the pu-erh base as well, because the chocolate really seems to come alive in the presence of the pu-erh. It’s really quite enjoyable.
Really yummy. This is a pu-erh I’d consider keeping on hand … I like the heat level, I love the chocolate-y tones, I love that it is a little earthy and smoky but it never goes overboard on these two tastes. I love the way the sweet-tart notes of the cherry come through … again, subtly … and really beautifully.
Two thumbs up on this one.
Chocolate Chili Truffle from Spire Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Tea Description:
Unveil the sweet and spicy layers in our Chili Truffle tea made with Ceylon black tea; chili, chocolate and peppercorns.
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
This tea isn’t technically a “chai” by what we here in the United States have come to call chai, however, the spiciness of this tea is very warming and reminds me of a chai, so I decided to categorize it as such.
I really like this a lot! Then again, that should not be surprising, given my love for chocolate. And when I shop for chocolate, I often find myself looking for (and purchasing) chocolates that are chili infused … I love the combination of sweet (or bittersweet) chocolate with spicy foods. The sweetness of the chocolate tempers the heat from the spice just enough while the notes from the spice cut through some of the sweeter notes of the chocolate to keep it from tasting so sweet. I love that contrast.
And that contrast has been captured perfectly in this cup of tea.
The black tea is a mellower black tea base – a Ceylon – but, it does its job here well. It supports the flavors of chocolate and chili very nicely without getting in their way. It is a strong enough Ceylon to be tasted without overpowering the spicy chocolate notes.
The chocolate – while it could be stronger (I do love my chocolate!) offers a rich, creamy taste that is more like dark chocolate than of milk chocolate … although if you prefer a milk chocolate taste that can be easily remedied by turning this into a latte. It adds a nice texture to the cup too, it tastes really rich and decadent!
And the chili adds just the right amount of heat. I would classify it as a mild-to-medium heat, it isn’t super-spicy, even as the heat builds as I continue to sip, I never feel it becoming TOO spicy for my mouth. Just a really enjoyable, warm heat.
A really lovely tea from Spire … this one might be my favorite yet from them!
Chili Chocolate Truffle from Della Terra Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
A delicious chocolate tea recipe spiked with the perfect amount of chili pepper! Just like the classic chocolate chili recipes from Mexico, this wonderful blend will give you the slight spiciness of chili pepper and the richness of chocolate. This is a must try for every chocolate lover out there!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The name of this tea is very alluring. I love the combination of chocolate and spice. The contrasting of flavors is always something that tempts me, and this tea certainly captured my attention with the promise of spice and bittersweet chocolate.
The chocolate is delicious. It is very much like a dark chocolate, very rich and deep in flavor. There is a slight artificial note to the cup that I notice when I really focus on the flavors, it doesn’t really disrupt the flavor of the cup with a “casual sip” but its when I try to identify the flavors I’m experiencing that this note really becomes noticeable. It is very slight and sort of rests in the background.
It is the chili pepper that is this tea’s best quality, I think. I really like how it plays in this cup. It takes a little while to really develop. It was noticeable at the very first sip, of course, but, it was mild in temperature. But now that I’m about halfway through the cup, I notice the twinge of a burning sensation on my lips, tongue and upper palate, and the heat seems to radiate all the way to my throat.
It is a very pleasurable burn … it isn’t the kind of heat that is sending me to the kitchen in search of something to extinguish the fire … it is more like a warm ember that warns of a fire that may erupt if it is tampered with, and that’s the kind of heat I really like. The type of heat that is just on the verge of getting really spicy, hinting toward that heat, making this sipper anticipating and even hungering for the flame and encouraging me to continue to sip.
The black tea is a mellow tasting tea, and I think it works perfectly for what this tea is. A stronger or bolder tea would have possibly interfered with the progression of the heat from the chili pepper. Then again, it may have complemented the chocolate in such a way that it came across as richer or smoother… but as it is, I really like how this tea reveals itself. I imagine that this would make a very interesting latte, too.
An enjoyable tea, one I wouldn’t mind drinking now and again for that exciting flirtation with the chili pepper’s heat.