Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
As Sold By: Amoda Tea
Also Available At: Assam Tea Company
Tisane Description:
This is a fantastic chai blend, a bit on the spicy side (black pepper!), but nice and full-flavoured. The spices are well-balanced though. There’s a cinnamon blast on the nose, enhanced by the natural cinnamon qualities of the rooibos. For us here at Amoda, a chai blend is taken to the next level when orange peels are thrown into the mix.
Learn more about the Monthly Tea Tasting Box from Amoda Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is my third and final from “The Last Days of Autumn” tea tasting box from Amoda Tea. While I was excited to try a tea from this company (I don’t think I’ve tried one from them yet), I wasn’t overly excited about yet another rooibos chai blend (it seems like EVERYBODY’S got one!) But, I have to admit that after trying it, I can see why Amoda Tea decided to include this tea in this Autumn themed box. Chai blends tend to be rather autumnal, but something about this rooibos chai speaks of autumn in a very special way.
Dry, this is a beautifully fragrant chai. That shouldn’t be surprising, as most chai blends tend to be wonderfully aromatic. The spices that stood out to me most when I smelled the dry leaf was the anise and the cardamom, and given my love for anise (and cardamom!) it was a very rewarding scent, indeed!
Once brewed, my olfactory nerves are treated to the aroma of cinnamon and clove, with background notes of orange and ginger, and just a hint of anise in the distance.
This is a warm and tasty chai. It is not what I’d call a “spicy” (as in spicy-hot) chai, instead, I find the spices to be more soothing and mild. The spices are strong enough to be felt in the nasal cavity (this is one of those chai blends that is GREAT for when you’re feeling under the weather and need something to help clear that passage way!) and it gets to work to gently warm and soothe the throat and back of the palate.
The rooibos here can be tasted, but, it isn’t a strong flavor. Instead, I taste a hint of nutty flavor that sort of mingles with the notes of orange in the background. I expected the orange to actually be much stronger than it is here, as there are lots of little chunks of orange peel in the blend. Instead, the orange acts as an accent note, adding a touch of brightness to the cup and highlighting the spices in a very appealing way.
The anise is my favorite part of this chai, it gives an exotic sweetness to the cup and I love the way this spice melds with the others in the blend. They all seem to work together very harmoniously to create a delicious taste that is spicy without being hot, and very comforting. A perfect cup for these last days of autumn.
