This is not a tea I would pick for myself. In fact, it is not a tea I picked for myself. I am not one for chais, though I will admit when done right, they can be awesome but that is hard to accomplish when each person likes a different balance of spices and “right” to me may not be the same as “right” to another. That is why I left this out of my cart when grabbing samples of the many Tickled Tea offerings. Nonetheless, this appeared in my package and today, as the chilly autumn air set in, seemed like the perfect day to give it a try, latte-style.
Chai Five, as per the product description, is a spicy blend of black chai tea, including 5 traditional masala chai spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and peppercorns. It smells strongly of cardamom so I was definitely surprised when I got more clove flavor. That and a cinnamon sweetness. This is also one of the few times in a tea that I actually tasted the peppercorn, which is a nice kick. For those that love cardamom, don’t fret as there is still some of it to be found in the taste, though not as much as you would anticipate given the smell. Ginger lovers may be disappointed as I am finding my mug at least is lacking.
Nonetheless, this is actually a pretty lovely take on chai. Spicy and sweet and complimented beautifully by the creaminess of the milk. Like I said before, I am not a lover of chais, but on a cold day like today , a chai latte can be a nice bit of warming comfort in a mug and this certainly fit that bill.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tickled Tea
Description
A spicy blend of black chai tea, including 5 traditional masala chai spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and peppercorns.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Ginger Ninja from BlendBee. . . .
Let me take you on a little adventuring in brewing this tea, friends. Imagine: a normal office environment. One woman… her desk, full of tea. Her morning: slow and in need of a pick-me-up. Everyone else around her: hacking up a lung from the winter-sick that sets in every year around this time. She’s desiring something that feels a little medicinal, but also tastes good (obviously). Skeptically, she picks up this tea from her stash– “Ooh, ginger!” she thinks. “Oh… green tea?” This isn’t looking good for one such green tea skeptic.
Regardless, she pours some hot water from the tap, giving it a second to cool down, and hesitantly scoops the dry leaf into her cup. Two and half minutes later…
She takes a whiff. “Ooh, grassy– not my favorite,” she ponders. But she persists. A quick sip– “where’d that grassiness go?” she wonders. It’s gone! It’s replaced with spicy, warming, peppery ginger, a light hint of floral and her favorite: sweet and mellow licorice root. Sure, there’s a hint of green-ery (if you will) in the background. But it’s not overwhelmingly herbaceous, as her first sip would’ve had you believing. It’s sweet and warm and unusual, and surprisingly addictive– within a few minutes, she’s downed the whole cup. Who’s a green tea skeptic? Not her, anymore. Another cup? Don’t mind if she does…
And scene.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
You start off with nice and sweet Green Tea, Rose Hips, Licorice Root, Orange Peel and Stevia Leaf. Then your taste buds go for a spin with Ginger and Black Pepper. You’re welcome.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate Ginger Turmeric from Tiesta Tea. . .
I’ll be honest, tea friends– rooibos still gives me pause. Every time a red rooibos tea shows up at my front door, I’m skeptical– will it taste woodsy? Will it have that distinct rooibos… tang (?) that I’m just so very not-fond of? I’m not a total anti-rooibos crusader, but I am exceptionally picky about the red teas that I’ll let into my cuppa.
When this one showed up in a recent sample package, I was… skeptical, to say the least. But lo! Chocolate? Ginger? Turmeric? Those are three of my favorite things! Would they be enough to place this offering solidly in the “win” category? The answer, I’m so pleased to say– is YES.
This herbal is perfect for turmeric lovers– both the flavor AND that omnipresent, don’t-spill-on-your-cheap-apartment-countertops-for-fear-they-will-be-yellowed-forever signature color are here in spades. Balanced by a tiny hint of ginger and cinnamon spice lingering in the background and rounded out not necessarily by saccharine sweet chocolate, but rather nutty, dark notes from the cocoa shell– this blend is a winner. I’ve been particularly loving it with just a touch of frothed coconut milk on top, no sweetner needed– in a season that is often punctuated by stress, it’s been the perfect, caffeine-free treat for both slow mornings and nightly wind-downs alike. Fellow rooibos skeptics, give this one a try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tiesta Tea
Description
The perfect trifecta. When an ache or ailment comes creeping in, ginger and turmeric team up to kick it to the curb while chocolate follows closely behind to smooth everything over. With this unrivaled trio on your side, you’ll be invincible.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Turmeric Ginger from Rishi. . . .
Ginger tea is one of my favorite things to drink, and I’m always trying to find ways to get turmeric in my diet so this tea is right up my alley!
This tea has ginger and turmeric, of course but it also has licorice root, lemongrass which is another favorite of mine, and also orange and lemon peel and orange and lemon oil. The taste of the ginger and citrus is there, but it definitely takes a back seat to the turmeric.
Turmeric can be very overpowering if too much is used as I’ve learned when I experiment with making golden milk with turmeric and coconut milk. But Rishi Tea knows what they’re doing. The turmeric is there, but it’s the perfect amount. When you take a sip you get the zest of turmeric, with a little hint of ginger and citrus.
This is a caffeine free tea, but I noticed I felt very energized and zippy after drinking this. This is also a very warming tea, so I will be adding this to the winter tea rotation. It would be great to have before or after being out in the cold. I enjoyed this tea warm, but I plan on trying it iced next. It seems like one of those teas that are great hot or iced.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Rishi Tea
Description
The awesome, centering energy of golden turmeric root is enhanced by strengthening licorice root and zesty ginger in this Ayurveda inspired blend. Fragrant lemongrass and citrus peels create a lemon drop candy sweetness that balances the pungency of the roots. The combination of turmeric, ginger, lemon and honey is an ancient herbal recipe for longevity, stamina and balance.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Edith Wharton’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail. . . .
I have a confession to make. Edith Wharton isn’t an author I ever followed. That may come as a shock to many of you and for that I am sorry. After reading her biography I was intrigued, however.
Edith Wharton’s Black Tea Blend is one of the newest additions to Simpson & Vail’s Literary Tea Line. Ingredients include Darjeeling black tea, organic ginger pieces, mallow blossoms, marigold petals and flavoring.
So eventho I cannot speak/write about my personal love for Edith herself – I can tell you about my love for this tea. Of course I’m interested in just about ANY tea but Black Teas are the teas I always grab first and I start every day with at least one black tea (and then move on to the other types of tea as my day progresses).
The focus of this flavored black tea was true to its black tea base and the flavors accompanied it well. The ginger and mallow blossoms acted as a subtle yin and yang contribution in the flavor profile. The marigold petals gave it a more floral aroma and flavor, too.
I was worried that the floral and spicy notes would be a little loud but they were VERY NICELY done here and not shouting. For that I’m grateful and proud to add this to my favorites list of teas & literature.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
For our Edith Wharton blend we pay homage to her descriptions of the undercurrents rippling through fashionable society. We have combined a refined, high-grown Darjeeling black tea with a little passionfruit and citrus flavor, a dash of spice and lovely flower petals to create a taste that is smooth and elegant. Perfect for an afternoon tête-à-tête.
Ingredients: Darjeeling black tea, organic ginger pieces, mallow blossoms, marigold petals and flavoring.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
