Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
This unique blend will take you to the rainforest with the taste of sweet chili and orange. This tea is blended from an ancient South American recipe and has orange peels, chili pepper bits, red peppercorns, coconut and pure cinnamon. Perfect for a night time treat.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m enjoying this much more than I expected I would. I don’t know that I had any real “expectations” … but, as I’ve mentioned before, I have this sort of automatic repellant response toward rooibos. And it really isn’t very fair. Most of the rooibos blends that I’ve tried in the last two or three years have been enjoyable enough, and some were actually really good. It all goes back to my first few times trying rooibos – plain, conventionally-grown rooibos at that – that causes that response. Like I said, it’s not fair. There are a lot of really tasty rooibos blends out there.
And I’m really enjoying this rooibos blend from Della Terra Teas. The first couple of sips, I noticed the woody and nutty tones of the rooibos coming through strongly, but they seemed to meld quite nicely with the flavor of orange and cinnamon. The orange is bright and juicy tasting, and the cinnamon shows us the sweeter side of cinnamon, allowing the chili pepper to handle the spicy notes.
At first, I didn’t really taste much from the chili pepper, but now that I’m about halfway finished with the cup, the spicy notes from the chili are coming through. But they never become super-spicy hot … they are more like a warm spiciness that stays with you throughout the sip, and then imparts an enjoyable burn on the palate in the aftertaste, reminding you of the delicious warmth of the tisane.
The coconut is also something that I didn’t notice at the start. But after the first couple of sips, I began to notice a slight creaminess that arrived toward the tail end of the sip. It isn’t a strong flavor, and never really becomes a strong flavor, but it does develop slowly as I continue to sip. It doesn’t offer that distinct “coconut” flavor, but, it does add a sweet, creamy note that contrasts nicely with the sunny orange and sweet and hot flavors of the spices.
Overall, I found this to be an extremely enjoyable cuppa. Something I’d enjoy keeping on hand to enjoy once or twice a week, when I want something spicy yet sweet for those late-night cravings!
Organic Rabbit Hole Chai from The Rabbit Hole
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Rabbit Hole
Product Description:
Sweet, smooth and spicy. Sounds like the recipe for a steamy love affair. Brew our chai with milk and a squeeze of honey then cosy up to this gorgeous hottie.
Taster’s Review:
This is a mighty fine chai!
The spices are well-balanced. I’m not finding that one spice overpowers the others, which is nice. The overall flavor is spicy, but it isn’t spicy-hot. Warm, yes, but not what I would consider hot. Definitely cozy and comforting!
I agree with my SororiTea Sister’s review of this chai – the dry leaf aroma is very memorable and quite delightful. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled a chai quite like this one. It really does have an almost bubble-gum-y like scent to it. Of course, this does not translate into the fragrance of the brewed chai (or the flavor), but it certainly makes for a very intriguing scent as I was measuring the tea into my Breville One-Touch.
The base used in this blend is a delicious black tea. It is smooth and strong, but it is playing a supporting role to the robust spices in this blend. This chai is all about the spice, but, as I mentioned before, even though this chai is about the spice … it isn’t spicy. Instead, it tastes warm, cozy and exotic. I can taste notes of ginger and pepper, but they don’t overwhelm the cup. I can taste the sweetness of the cinnamon and the warmth of the cloves. And I can even taste a hint of licorice-y goodness from the star anise. I can taste all these notes, but they are quite seamless at the same time. It is blended in such a smooth, delicious way.
This is an awesome chai! Quite delicious as a latte, but I found it to be equally as delicious without the milk, too!
Spice with Black Tea from Chai-Wallah
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Chai-Wallah
Product Description:
Fair Trade Organic Rembeng Estate Assam tea is the perfect match for our organic chai spice. A robust full-bodied CTC tea favored by chai drinkers in India for its strong malty taste even when blended and boiled with chai spice, milk and sugar.
Taster’s Review:
Well, if you read many of my reviews, you know that I love chai. Some I like better than others – and this chai definitely falls under the “better” category. It’s fantastic!
One challenge that chai blends face when it comes to me tasting and reviewing them is that I seldom will brew them in the “recommended” method – that is, I don’t usually simmer the spiced tea on the stovetop with milk and/or water. I brew it like I’d brew any tea – using boiling water in a tea pot or a smart brewing system (like this one). And I realize that this affects the outcome. However, I don’t like to brew using the stovetop method. It’s messy, and because of this, I’m less likely to brew chai tea as often as I do now. Which means less chai enjoyment.
So, a chai blend needs to produce a delicious, hearty cup using my method for me to like it! And this chai does – and how! I’ve tasted it with and without milk added, and I must say that it is quite delicious both ways, although I prefer it latte.
The organic Assam tea base is BOLD and deliciously malty. It has to be to be able to be detected amongst some rather robust spice. Well, this Assam is able to hold its own with these spices, and it brings forth a very pleasing, eye-opening flavor. This tea is full-bodied and vigorous without tasting bitter (but I wouldn’t recommend over-steeping it, I steeped for just 4 minutes in boiling water).
Not surprisingly, though, it is the spices that make this blend what it is. It’s like a powerful wallop in the mouth! Zesty ginger and pepper dominate, followed by a spicy cinnamon with the warmth of cardamom and cloves providing a very solid backdrop for a delicious chai experience.
This is not a chai for the meek! It is a strong, solid chai with a lot of spice! So, if you’re timid when it comes to spice, this may not be the chai for you. BUT if you love chai, you probably aren’t timid! Try this one! It’s amazing!