Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zoomdweebies
Tea Description:
Following the success of our Spicier Chai, one of our faithful customers requested a version with chocolate and marshmallow. How could we not do that?
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yum! I’m loving this Chocolate Marshmallow Spicy Chai from 52Teas. It’s the perfect tea to enjoy on a cold, wet afternoon!
If you read this blog regularly, you’re probably well aware by this point that I’m trying to raise funds so that I can take over 52Teas. And if you aren’t yet aware of this, please check out my Kickstarter campaign by clicking right here. (Remember, every little bit helps!)
Anyway, after taking my first sip of this tea, my immediate thought was, “oh yeah, I have to reblend this one!” In fact, I just finished posting a comment on the campaign, stating that I nominate this for a reblend for the next vote!
Every time we reach another $2,000 in pledges, we vote on a new reblend. So far, we’ve reached on $2000 in pledges and the winner of that vote was the Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish Honeybush. If you want to get in on the next vote, you need to contribute and help me reach my goal!
So, yes, I guess you could say that I like this tea. I like it a lot!
The black tea base is rich and flavorful. That in itself is quite an accomplishment because the spices are spicy and the chocolate and marshmallow are both strong components to this cup too. To be able to be tasted beyond the bold spices and the strong flavors, that’s impressive to me.
I also appreciate that the black tea isn’t astringent or bitter. It’s smooth and robust, but not aggressively so. It stands strong amid the other strong flavor profiles in this cup without having to be too harsh tasting.
The spices are very reminiscent of the Spicier Chai blend that 52Teas introduced a few weeks back. And there’s a good reason for that. It would seem that the Spicier Chai was the inspiration behind the request for a Chocolate Marshmallow version. Genius. It sounds like something I’d think of. I didn’t. But, whoever did think of it, you’re a genius.
The spices are spicy! Peppery! Zesty and invigorating! It’s a good, strong, BOLDLY spiced chai. It not only warms you from the inside out but it’ll feel a little like someone started a tiny fire in the back of your throat. Yeah, it burns, but it burns SO good!
And then you have chocolate and marshmallow! I’m usually quick to say that more chocolate is better, but I really am enjoying the level of chocolate in this blend. It’s not SUPER chocolate-y but I think that more chocolate might have interfered with the spices a little bit and I like the balance as it is right now. Spicy and chocolate-y deliciousness.
And the marshmallow is light and fluffy.
What this tastes a bit like is that someone brewed up a cup of that Spicier Chai, and then added a scoop of hot cocoa powder to it and stirred it up, and then topped it with a marshmallow that is now melted into the beverage, making it creamy and sweet and delicious.
So, yeah … totally yum. Please help me save 52Teas so that I can reblend this one!!!
Spicier Chai Blend from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Looking for a chai with a little extra ZING? You’ve found it! We crafted this warming chai with extra ginger and cinnamon, plenty of anise seed, peppercorns and even a touch of red pepper flakes. It’s not super spicy like they cayenne pepper blends we’ve created, but it will do a great job of warming your bones.
Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about 52Teas’ subscriptions here.
Taster’s Review:
The name of this chai made me go hmm. – Spicier Chai – Spicier than what? But after I took my first sip, I got it. I understood.
Because…
Wow! “Spicier” is right!
And to answer the question: it’s spicier than your average chai. And it might even be spicier than the average spicy chai. Frank (Chief Zoomdweebie at 52Teas) didn’t skimp on the spices in this chai.
And I’m LOVING it! This is the way chai should be.
Oh sure, I’ve loved many a mild chai. But, in my heart of hearts, I like my spices robust and zesty, and to call this Spicier chai “robust and zesty” would be an understatement. This takes robust and zesty to the extreme! This is sure to warm you up after a day out in the snow. (Or the cold, biting rain like we experience here in the Pacific Northwest.) This will warm you up – starting on the inside and that heat will radiate outward. And I like it like that.
There is a good amount of ginger to this, and that, along with some black pepper and red pepper flake is what is providing the heat. But I’m glad that there is more to this chai than just ginger and pepper! I am getting a nice cinnamon-y backdrop and a pleasant anise flavor. The snappy-sweet licorice flavor from the anise contrasts nicely with the peppery flavors. The cardamom and clove work together with the cinnamon to create a cohesive “chai” flavor rather than something that tastes like it’s all peppery/gingery heat.
I think that’s what I like best about this chai is that it’s not a one-note kind of chai. I am tasting a masala blend here, not just one or two spices.
Yes, I do taste the black tea too. I have to say that it does get a little lost in the spices here, but the black tea is strong enough to offer a background of black tea flavor. I’m not drinking an infusion of spices. I’m drinking black tea and spices and that is evident in the flavor. The nuances of the black tea are difficult to discern. I’m not tasting “delicate floral notes in the background” or “notes of fruit” within the layers of flavor. I taste SPICE and I taste black tea. And really, that’s good enough for me because the spice is bold and strong and that’s what makes this a seriously good chai.
If you’re one who tastes a chai and thinks, “Hey, where is the spice?” or if you’re one who thinks that the average chai is just a little on the tame side, you really should try this chai! This chai has some bite!
Revenant Oolong Tea from Pelican Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Pelican Tea
Tea Description:
An earthy but delicate habanero-infused Seschung Oolong tea with organic mint and pan-toasted brown rice. This is a favorite when I’m not in the mood for something sweet, but definitely in the mood for… something*.
*Something in this case may be anything. Spooky.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Whoa! This one has got some kick to it! When I read the label and it said “Moderately Spicy,” I didn’t expect quite so much heat! Not that I’m unhappy with it, I like the spice level. But, for those of you who tend to be sensitive to spicy things, don’t be fooled by the word moderate. This one is warm.
But after the first two or three sips of WARM … the heat becomes more subdued (or maybe it’s just that the taste buds have adapted to the heat) and now it’s more like a pleasant warmth at the back of the throat. So, don’t let those first two or three sips scare you, once you get past that point, then you can sit back and really enjoy the complexity of this tea.
Because yes, it’s spicy, but, there’s so much more to this tea than just heat from the habanero pepper.
First, we have the roasted flavor of the Se Chung Oolong tea. The delicious roasty-toasty flavor melds beautifully with the pan-toasted rice, and the delicate smoky notes of the Se Chung accentuate the spice of the habanero. I love the way the roasty-toasty, the smoky and the spice taste together. It’s a well-conceived flavor combination.
Then there is the mint. Given how well the other three components – Oolong, rice and habanero – seem to work together, one might think that the mint is a bit out of place in this blend. But, I like the touch of mint. Mint can often become a bit too aggressive in a blend and wind up giving off a toothpaste-y sort of taste, but, that didn’t happen here. The mint is strong enough to be tasted but not so strong that it overpowers the other flavors. Instead, what it does here is come in to offer a cooling, crisp note to the warm, toasty and smokin’ flavors of the other ingredients. It’s an interesting and creative contrast to the warm flavors.
Since this IS an Oolong, I decided to take it for another infusion. The second infusion was – surprisingly – a little spicier than the first. This surprised me; I expected the heat to wane a little with the second infusion. The roasted and smoky notes of the Oolong as well as the toasty rice notes seemed to soften somewhat. I think I preferred the balance of the toasty, smoky and spicy notes of the first cup over this, where it seems that the fiery notes of the habanero are stronger than the flavors of the Oolong and rice. It’s still delicious, just different.
The mint is a little stronger in this second infusion too, so with this cup, there is more balance between the mint and habanero flavors rather than with the warmer notes. It’s more like a balance between the crisp, refreshing notes of mint and the peppery heat. Still a tasty cup of tea, and certainly worth the resteep!
This is a really fascinating blend from Pelican Tea!
Spicy Apple Tisane from Tea People
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit & Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Tea People
Tisane Description:
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. May we add our own to that ‘an appy a day keeps you happy all day’. The tea is made with luxury dried apple spiced with natural dried ginger, cardamom, pepper and cloves and sweetened with cinnamon and stevia. Add to that beautiful dried petals of cornflower and you have the tea of your dreams! A perfect drink for cold days to spice up your day, it also tastes heavenly as iced tea on a hot summer day.
Ingredients: Natural dried Apple, Hibiscus, Dried Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Pepper, Stevia, Cornflower petals and Natural flavours
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
As I was reading through the ingredient list of this Spicy Apple Tisane from Tea People, I found myself wishing that they didn’t include stevia in this. This is my “usual” complaint when it comes to tea or tisane blends with stevia in it, I personally prefer the option to sweeten or not sweeten, and I prefer to choose my sweetener. Stevia isn’t my favorite sweetener, because it’s one of those things that when overdone … it’s just wrong. That said, I have tried several teas/tisanes that have had stevia in the blend and I liked them just fine, so I’m going to keep an open mind until I’ve tasted it!
Hey – this is pretty good! I do think that the stevia is a little too much, and that it would be better without the stevia, but, I really like the taste of the apple and the spices. It’s kind of like an apple cider with masala chai spices!
The hibiscus is on the lighter side here, and really all it seems to do to this particular blend is add a little color and texture to the brewed liquid. I’m not getting that hibiscus tart from this, and that’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.
The apple flavor is well-defined, as are the spicy notes. The spices are nicely balanced. I taste ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, and there is just a hint of pepper to this that sort of tickles the back of the tongue in the aftertaste. I like that the spices are not competing with one another in this tisane and it’s spicy but it’s not overdone. I think that even those who are not generally too keen on spicy teas or tisanes could enjoy this because it’s warmly spiced, but not too spicy.
Overall, a nice tisane. If I were blending it, I would have omitted the stevia, because I think that there is just a little bit too much of it in this blend. It has a slightly “funky” sweetness to it, and while it doesn’t deter from my enjoyment of the drink, I think I’d enjoy it a lot more if the stevia wasn’t there.
Firewater Black Tea Blend from Pelican Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Pelican Tea
Tea Description:
Firewater is the original recipe by Pelican Tea and remains our favorite to this day. Premium Orange Pekoe black tea and home-toasted brown rice produce an earthy blend that’s as comforting as it is spicy. Good around a campfire or mixed with your favorite spirit (silver tequila being our spirit of choice).
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
OK! I’ve got to tell you … this Firewater Black Tea Blend from Pelican Tea scared me! I don’t do a whole lot of cooking (or anything else) with the habanero pepper, because even though I do appreciate a zesty, spicy tea every so often, I can’t say that I’ve been really jumping out of my seat to try a habanero pepper infused tea. I mean, hey, we’re talking one of the hottest peppers out there, and right on the package of this tea, it says this:
Exceptionally Spicy, Habanero Infused
But, I’m thinking … I’ve tried a jalapeno tea, and I’ve tried some really SPICY teas, so I decided to pluck up the courage and brew myself a cup of this tea. Upon opening the package, I expected there to be a stronger aroma. I guess I envisioned the hairs in my nostrils feeling the singe of the heat from the habanero. But that didn’t happen. OK … this is a good thing!
The fragrance of the brewed tea is slightly spicy/peppery with notes of black tea with a slightly stronger, top note of toasted rice. The smell is promising.
And the sip? I took a very careful, timid sip. I tasted the notes of sweet, toasted rice and the smooth, brisk black tea. The first couple of sips were warm and spicy, but not ah-chi-cha spicy. (Yeah … that’s just what came to my head while thinking of a way to say tongue blisteringly spicy.) After the third sip, I started to notice the warmth develop toward the back of my throat.
After four or five sips, the flavor becomes increasingly more spicy. By mid-sip, the heat creeps in and warms the palate. The heat in the back of my throat is warm but not searing hot. Make no mistake, this is exceptionally spicy, as promised on the label of the package. But, it’s not uncomfortably, blisteringly, searingly hot. I’m not feeling the urge to run to the kitchen for something to temper the heat. I might be thinking “ah-chi-cha” but, it’s in a very good way!
This is what I’d call a very GOOD burn. It’s hot and spicy and I can feel myself starting to break a bit of a sweat, but, I like the flavor that my palate is experiencing. I appreciate that Pelican Tea has turned up the heat but they haven’t started a blazing inferno in my mouth.
And what I like best about that is that I’m able to experience the other flavors in this tea. I can taste that light sweetness from the toasted rice. I like that I’m tasting the flavor of the black tea and there’s a nice contrast between the sweet and the spicy … and while the spicy does reign over the sweet in this cup, I can taste these other notes and I like that.
This is the kind of tea I’d want to have on hand when I’m feeling under the weather because you know how when you’re feeling sick, your taste buds feel like they’ve been covered with cotton or something? Like somebody wove a tongue coat of cotton that buffers your ability to taste … anything? You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? Well, with this tea, I have no doubt in my mind that I’d be able to taste it, and it would warm me up from the inside out, and that would be an added bonus.
It’s a great tea for those of you who appreciate a walk on the spicy side of life.