Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Product Description:
Is winter giving you the shivers? Try this fiery southwest chai. A blend of black tea, chocolate and Ancho and Aleppo chilis, it gives new meaning to the term “hot chocolate.” But despite sweet roasted corn and lily petals, it’s not for the faint of heart. Spicy notes and an extra-hot finish mean you should only drink it if you love to feel the heat – otherwise, you’d better get out of the kitchen.
Taster’s Review:
When I think “chai,” I think masala chai blends which usually consist of the basics: ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. There are sometimes variations to the basics, and sometimes other ingredients are added, but these are the four main ingredients that come to mind when I think chai. Now, granted, chai actually means “tea” so, you can have a plain Ceylon and it would be a chai, but, for me, chai has come to mean a spiced tea.
This tea forces me to re-think my ideas about chai, because there is no cinnamon, ginger, cardamom or cloves here, and yet it is called a chai. And to be honest, even though this is a bit different than what I would expect from a chai, it is really good. REALLY good!
The chocolate is the strongest flavor here, and that’s quite alright with this chocoholic. It tastes sweet and creamy and rich. But what is really nice is how the zesty spice from the chili cuts through some of the sweeter notes of the chocolate, providing a really nice contrast in flavors for the palate to enjoy.
The chili does not hit the palate immediately. The sip starts as a rather smooth-tasting sip, it doesn’t taste really spicy/hot. About mid-sip, the chili comes to life! It starts out as a warm, chili pepper kind of taste, not too hot, but gradually getting warmer. By the time the finish hits, the pepper really kicks in – never getting what I would consider to be too hot, but it is definitely a kick of chili spice. The aftertaste is that of spicy chili pepper, again not too hot, but there is a light, slow burn in the back of the throat.
The black tea seems to come secondary here, and that is a little disappointing, but it is hard to express too much disappointment with a tea that I’m enjoying so much. I love the chocolate and chili flavor here. The black tea is distinguishable, but it isn’t a terribly strong black tea flavor. I would love to see what a stronger, bolder tea leaf might do to this blend of chocolate and chili (perhaps a solid Assam?) As it is, though, I really like this; even without the basic chai spices, even with the lighter tea flavor. The chocolate and chili is so delicious!
NOTE: While writing this review, I noticed that this particular tea is not featured on the David’s Tea website. I suspect that this is because this is a winter/seasonal blend, and I do hope that it will return when winter returns! It’s a wonderfully warming blend!
Mango Chili Raw Green Bush Tea from The Republic of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Rooibos
Where to Buy: The Republic of Tea
Product Description:
This exotic blend combines herbaceous Raw Green Rooibos and fragrant, luscious mango finished with a little kick of chili.
This sweet and spicy tea is low in tannins, will cool the body and wake up the senses – hot or iced.
Taster’s Review:
I really like this tisane, and I’m very happy to see that more tea companies are exploring “raw” or green rooibos. I personally prefer green rooibos to the oxidized red rooibos. The green tends to have a crisper, fruitier profile vs. the woody, somewhat nutty flavor of the red. And that crisp, bubbly flavor of the green rooibos melds deliciously with the flavors of mango and chili in this blend.
The mango flavor is beautifully represented here. It is sweet, but not too sweet – thanks to the addition of the chili. I think that a little more chili flavor would be nice here, but as it is, I do like the way the chili cuts through some of that sweet mango taste. The chili also comes through a little bit at the tail of the sip, giving mere hints of a tingly spice.
Despite the name of this tea, it is NOT a spicy tea. It is gently spiced, with just enough mild warmth to make it interesting without an overpowering sense of heat. For those who have a taste for the spicier things in life, you might find this blend a little disappointing. I happen to be one who has a flair for spicy foods and beverages… and while I would like a little more chili taste here, I still find this to be a very enjoyable cup. It is PERFECT for a late-night tisane, and also makes for a refreshingly different iced tea!
Sassy Green Tea with Açaí from Village Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Village Tea
Company Description:
Ingredients: chinese green tea, ginger, flavor, orange peel, peach pieces, chilies, cloves, safflower, acai
Our Sassy Green Tea with Acai combines top-quality green tea with peach, ginger, acai, and orange for a sweet and subtle spice.
Taster’s Review:
This is really good! I love the sweet and spicy in this cup – the sweet is just a little stronger than the spicy, and they enhance each other very well. It is really quite a palate pleaser!
That being said, I’m finding it a little difficult to discern the different fruits and spices being represented here. They seem to merge very well – almost too well – so I can only taste wee little notes of each ingredient.
The green tea base is subtle here, it has a nice smoothness and offers a nice richness to the blend. It doesn’t taste very vegetative or grassy to me at all, and this may be because of the type of green tea used in the blend, or it could be that those sometimes undesirable flavors tend to be overwhelmed by the other flavors in the blend. (While I do have an appreciation for the vegetative/grassy notes of some green teas, I know that there are quite a few of you out there who do not)
I can taste a sweet smoothness brought on by the peach flavor, along with a delicate note of orange. There is a light tartness from the açaí berry. A subtle warmth comes through from the cloves and the ginger, and just at the end of the sip, the chili sort of SNAPS on the tongue, it isn’t really powerful or overwhelming… but it does let you know it’s there.
It’s really quite an enchanting blend – and I can see why Village Tea calls this their Sassy Green Tea!