Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: Chico Chai
Chai Description:
Organic Yerba Mate is blended with fresh-ground spices to create a unique spicy 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 blend here.
Taster’s Review:
After having such a positive experience with Chico Chai’s Strong Brew Concentrate, I really looked forward to trying some of their loose leaf offerings. Fortunately, the good people at Chico Chai sent me a “Chico Chai Sampler,” and let me just say I love this little box! It’s a small box that is just big enough to fit four small tins of tea – one of each of the chai blends that Chico Chai offers. This is an awesome way to sample each of the loose leaf chai blends from them. Everything is packaged beautifully … this is the kind of thing that I love getting in the mail! And it would make an excellent gift for the chai lover on your gift giving list, too.
The first of the loose leaf chai blends that I decided to try was the Mate Chai from Chico Chai, mostly because I really needed that vigorous SHAKE awake that Yerba Mate provides. I have been feeling sluggish today, like I could easily go back to bed and sleep another couple of hours, but, I’ve got stuff to do! I can’t nap the day away.
So, it’s Yerba Mate to the rescue!
This has a delightfully spicy fragrance, and what I like best about the aroma of this chai is that no one spice stands out amongst the others in this blend. I smell notes of all the components, and it smells like a mouth-watering medley of warm spice that evokes thoughts of chilly autumn days (they’re coming! they’re coming!)
I brewed the tea strong (using a little extra leaf) in near boiling water – I find that when I use boiling water for Yerba Mate, it results in a slightly bitter tasting mate. Drop the temperature to 195°F and you can brew this herb for ten minutes (or even longer) and I don’t taste any bitterness! I brewed it extra strong because I wanted a latte.
But, I did try it first without the “latte” … and while it was strong … it is a very flavorful chai! Lots of peppery spice … this chai is not for the weak! If you tend to cower at the idea of spicy heat … this chai is too much for you … but for those of you who like your chai to bite you when you take a sip … this is one you need to try!
As a latte, the spices are softened somewhat … that is, they aren’t quite as edgy as they were when I tried it straight up. But, there is still plenty of heat from this chai when served with a splash of warmed milk. The ginger and pepper are prominent, and I can feel their warmth develop at the back of my tongue and radiate to the top of my throat. It warms me so wonderfully … this is just what I need on a chilly day like today!
I like that while this chai seems to focus on the ginger and pepper, I can also taste the cinnamon, cardamom and the nutmeg. It’s sweet and spicy and earthy … and with the addition of the milk, it’s so nice and creamy too! It tastes really good served warm but it’s also delicious as it cools. (An iced chai latte, anyone?)
And the Yerba Mate did in fact help energize and WAKE me up! This chai gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me.
Mandarin Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Blue Lotus Chai
Chai Description:
Our latest variety has the lush and delicious flavors of our secret mandarin orange/tangerine blend, in addition to the masala spices that our BLC lovers find so scrumptious. A new favorite!
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
This Mandarin Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai is really different than I expected. As I was preparing it, I kind of expected a sort of “holiday-ish” type black tea blend … you know what I’m talking about, right? The usual “cinnamon and orange” type holiday black tea.
But this isn’t that holiday orange tea at all! That’s not to say that I don’t like those holiday orange teas – I enjoy them! I’m just saying that this tastes quite different from what I was anticipating it to taste like.
Before I wrote this review, I tried this tea a couple of different ways. The first preparation – I prepared it the way I had prepared the other Blue Lotus Chai teas that I’ve enjoyed in the past, with a 1:1 ratio of hot water and steamed milk, and a heaping scoop of the Mandarin Masala Chai mix. (The most adorable little bamboo scoop is included in the package!) Then I stirred vigorously until the mix was completely incorporated. Then I got out my hand held frother to give the top a little bit if a foamy texture.
It’s yummy prepared this way. The tangerine/orange flavors together with the milk give a sort of “creamsicle” type of flavor, which is actually more of an accent flavor than a strong presence in the cup.
The spices are the main focus of this chai (as well they should be … this IS a chai!) I can really taste the nutmeg here. In the other Blue Lotus Chai blends, I could taste the nutmeg … but here, it really comes into its own … perhaps it’s the orange-y notes that really play to the nutmeg here to bring it out. The pepper is well-pronounced. The other spices are also strong … but, unlike some of those aforementioned holiday blends … this is NOT all about the cinnamon. This is not one of those sweet, cinnamon red-hot kind of teas. This is a chai and I taste the ginger and the black pepper … I taste the cinnamon and the nutmeg … and I taste the cardamom and the cloves! It’s a magnificent blend of spices! The black tea is also discernible, but, as I say … the spices are the main event here.
For my second cup of this chai, I decided to omit the milk and prepare this with just eight ounces of boiling water to see if the orange/tangerine flavors are more pronounced in just water versus the water/milk combination.
I actually prefer this particular chai from Blue Lotus Chai without the milk. It’s still nice and spicy, but I taste the tangerine and orange notes better. It’s brighter and more citrus-y … it’s really ZESTY like this … the spices seem to literally dance on the palate. It is spicy and absolutely delicious!
So, there you have it … I’ve tried all five of the chai blends that Blue Lotus Chai offers … and I’ve enjoyed them all. My favorite is still the Star Anise Masala Chai, but I would recommend all of these chai blends to anyone looking for a delicious chai! And since autumn is nearly here (I hope so, because I’m really tired of the heat!) the time is perfect for a yummy chai!
Star Anise Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Blue Lotus Chai
Chai Description:
Our new Star Anise Masala Chai is absolutely delicious! It has all of the signature BLC spices, with star anise contributing deep, but subtle licorice notes.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
OK … do you guys remember when I first reviewed the Original Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai and I suggested in that review that they add some Star Anise or Fennel to the chai for some licorice-y notes? Well, guess what? They took my advice! (Those people at Blue Lotus Chai … they’re smart cookies!) And they contacted me after they perfected the blend … and sent me some of it to try! And I’m sure it’s no great surprise: I love this stuff!
I like this Star Anise Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai even better than the original Masala Chai, and I’m not just saying that because I suggested the Star Anise. I’m saying because I love that hint of licorice-y snap that the additional spice adds. It’s just a hint of licorice-like taste. It doesn’t attempt to compete with the other spices, instead, it blends in there harmoniously, creating a very enjoyable, exceptionally well-spiced cup of chai!
This is delicious iced too. Instead of adding the full 4 ounces of water to the chai, I’ll add some ice cubes to the blender along with the chai mix and milk, and blend until the ice cubes are obliterated. It’s like a frosty cool, iced “frappe/freddo” type of beverage you might get from the local coffee shop without having to pay five bucks a cup for it. YUM!
The spices here are good and strong – just like in the original Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai – spicy, peppery and sweet. I love the balance of spices in this chai because one spice is not stronger or heavier than the others … I taste a little bit of cinnamon, a little bit of clove … a little bit of ginger, black pepper, nutmeg and cardamom too. And then there is that delightful licorice-y tone from the Star Anise! LOVE!
This is the PERFECT chai … I love love love it. I might … even like this better than my Masterpiece Chai. And that’s saying something … because … well, that was a masterpiece! (Even if I do say so myself.) Next suggestion for the brilliant minds at Blue Lotus Chai: How about a Chocolate Rose Chai!
Bombay Masala Chai from Chai Diaries
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Chai Diaries
Chai Description:
This stunning blend of black tea, ginger, cinnamon, green cardamom, and other natural flavors is Bombay at its finest, an alpha city with an alpha palette. Only now, you can brew it for yourself in the quiet dim of your kitchen.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
As you’re probably well aware by now, I love a good chai! And this Bombay Masala Chai from Chai Diaries is really, really good! And the most surprising thing about that is that it’s in a sachet! That’s right … I found a really, really good bagged chai!
I don’t often get excited over a sacheted tea of any type, but, I like the idea of a a sacheted chai because … as I’ve often lamented about in the past, when brewing chai “stovetop” style – simmering the tea leaves in a pan of milk or a combination of milk and water – it results in a mess. Sure, the flavor is better when the chai is prepared stovetop, but, it’s so rarely worth the mess that I’d have to clean up to brew chai stovetop. But, with a sacheted chai … this cuts the cleanup considerably! This will make it EASY to brew chai stovetop, if so desired!
For the purposes of this review, however, I didn’t steep it stovetop. I did steep it in water, extra strong – I used two silky pyramid sachets instead of one – so that I could make a latte out of it, but if you want to drink it straight, just use one sachet. Since I was in the mood for a creamy, rich chai latte, I grabbed two sachets. And the result is YUMMY!
The black tea is not an assertive black tea, but it is not what I’d call “mellow” either. It manages to stand its own. It’s strong and flavorful and offers a nice base for the masala spices. The cinnamon is the strongest spice I notice, but it isn’t really a spicy-hot cinnamon (like red hots) or even a “sweet” cinnamon … it’s somewhere in between … or perhaps more accurately, it’s a little of both. It’s like someone took a spicy-hot cinnamon and mixed it with a sweet cinnamon, and the result is a complex cinnamon note that is rich and really delicious.
The ginger pops out around mid-sip, and since I did take a sip of the chai before I added the steamed milk, I will say that the ginger was much more prominent prior to adding milk. The milk softens the peppery kick of the ginger a tad. But, it is still there … just not quite as bold. The cardamom adds a nice, exotic sweetness and warmth to the cup, and I love the vanilla … in fact, the vanilla may be my favorite part here, because when combined with the creaminess of the milk … it becomes a very decadent treat! Almost like dessert! So good!
As far as “heat” goes, I’d rate this a medium heat chai. It’s not super spicy (although it is spicier when you don’t add milk, and you don’t really need to with the vanilla notes which add a nice dimension of creaminess to the non-latte version of this chai), but it’s not what I’d call a mild chai either. It’s got some heat to it, and it is very well-spiced … warm but not too hot.
A very pleasant chai … one I look forward to revisiting soon!
Organic Masala Chai Blend from Fashionista Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Fashionista Tea
Tea Description:
Organic blend of Assam tea with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and other spices to create a finely balanced aromatic blend. Excellent infused with milk and sugar, hot or iced.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again: I love spiced chai blends! And this Organic Masala Chai Blend from Fashionista Tea is fantastic! It is delicious!
It has a good amount of spice to it – it’s pleasantly spicy – but there is a certain sweetness to this that is grabbing my attention. I can taste the sweeter side of the cinnamon, of the cardamom and of the cloves, and these sweeter notes are really delightful, and a lovely contrast to the spicy, peppery notes of the ginger, and the zesty notes of the other spices. This chai is a really lovely balance of sweet and spicy.
And as good as the spices are to a chai blend … a chai also needs a solid background of tea … and this blend uses an Assam blend that is rich, malty and flavorful. I like that I can taste the black tea … it doesn’t taste bitter or overwhelming … but it is strong enough to stand on its own too.
This chai is really good served straight up – with no additions! If you’re trying to eliminate dairy from your diet, this chai tastes great without the milk. But if you don’t mind adding a splash of milk … this chai is also yummy served as a latte – brew it double strength and then add a little bit of milk or cream to the brewed cup, along with a drizzle of honey or a half a teaspoon of turbinado sugar … just enough to bring out the spices without making it too sweet. I like that the milk does not mask the flavors … it just enhances the cup!
Another AWESOME tea from Fashionista Tea. And … every time I write about Fashionista Tea, I mean to make mention of their packaging … but I keep getting so caught up with the delicious teas that I keep forgetting to mention how much fun the packaging for Fashionista Tea is! Very colorful and very FUN … it’s a pure delight to receive a package from Fashionista … and I love their beautiful tins!