It’s getting to be that time of year again when I crave warm tea with cozy spices like cinnamon and ginger.
It’s nice to have a chai option that is also caffeine free as most are made with black tea. The first thing I noticed about this tea is that although the usual chai spices definitely stand out, I can still taste the earthy Rooibos. I’ve had a few other chai rooibos blends and usually the spices kind of takeover. I’m enjoying my delicious chai with a splash of coconut milk and a little brown sugar.
All I had was brown sugar and it actually goes really well with the tea! This would be a wonderful dessert tea since it is caffeine. But it’s also a nice tea to have in the morning. The spices help wake up your senses, and it’s a nice gentle way to bring on your day.
This is also safe for those who don’t like really sharp, spicy Chai blends. This has flavor, but it’s definitely on the gentle side. I really enjoyed this tea, and I love to have Chai in the winter.
This will definitely be in my regular rotation. This tea is also organic, free of pesticides, and fair trade which makes it taste even better in my opinion!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: TopQualiTea
Description
Masala chai (“spiced tea”) is a beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. By itself, chai is merely the generic word for tea in Hindi and many other languages around the world, and was adopted into British slang as “cha” or “char”. The added ginger and other spices give the Rooibos tea some warm and spicy taste nice in the cold evenings with milk and honey but also loved by many at any time of the day.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Honeybush, Red Rooibos Vanilla, and Red Rooibos Chai Spice Tea Bags from Top Quali Tea. . . .
Being the insane tea drinker I am, I want to love all of the amazing dessert honeybush and red rooibos blends that are out in the tea community. It seems that banana flavored teas for the most part have red rooibos in them. Just makes me sad since I am not a huge fan of red rooibos and sometimes even stray away from honeybush.
But when these huge boxes of honeybush and red rooibos tea bags arrived at my door, I had to prep my tea pot up because I was bound and determine to experience these teas.
The first one I tried was the Red Rooibos Chai Spice. This tea bag smelled amazing and I could barely pick out the red rooibos familiar smell. Familiar Masala Chai notes swirled around me while I steeped this tea. Unfortunately, first sip in, I was greeted with the familiar red rooibos taste and I couldn’t go any farther. The spices in this tea were delicious which made me sad this same recipe of spices wasn’t attached to a green tea or even honeybush- that would have been dynamite. As a side note, my hubby really enjoyed this tea. He thought this tea was smooth with a spicy kick.
Next up was the Red Rooibos Vanilla. Again, I prepped myself up a cup with fresh boiled water and allowed the tea to cool for a few moments. I loved the sweet notes the vanilla gave off, but I was also picking up that familiar red rooibos smell. I did take my first sip-and again- unfortunately- I just wasn’t able to go any further. The vanilla was quite nice, but I couldn’t get past the medicinal woodsy flavor the red rooibos was giving of. My husband also tried this tea and really liked it. He loved the sweet vanilla tones.
For the finale, I prepped the Honeybush Tea Bag . Brewed hot, this tea was a nice change of pace. I added in a lemon and enjoyed quite a nice cuppa while I helped my son with his homework. The honeybush was simple but mingled well with the lemon giving me this lovely honeybush lemon treat to finish out my day with. Cold brewed with lemon and limes, I was able to keep my tastebuds happy while I crossed off tasks at work. The honeybush in both instances gave way to a sweet background. I can see this tea being great cold brewed with fresh herbs like mint and fruits-I’m thinking strawberries- to enjoy over the last few days of summer we have left. My husband and I both felt this was the best tea of the three.
Even though I may not have been a huge fan of all of these teas, for the price you really can’t go wrong. I can see where these could be a huge hit with the rest of the Sisters and I can’t wait to see what they have to say. I’m hoping they expand their line to include possibly some herbal teas that do not include honeybush or red rooibos.
Here’s the scoop!
Where to Buy: Top Quali Tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
December Chai By Tea Of Fortunata (Etsy Shop)
Hello Tea Friends!
It is with thanks to CuppaGeek that I am able to try this tea. An exciting winter Chai blend all the way from Canada. Living in Leicester, United Kingdom I do consider myself somewhat of a Chai expert. We boast a large multi-cultural society here and we have the largest Diwali celebrations outside of India. As such with a large Asian community you can find unique family recipe Chai in many restaurants and shops. Since I was young Masala Chai has been a favourite of mine and I have tried hundreds of blends over the years. It is with happiness and joy that I get to try another Chai blend.
This particular Chai blend called December Chai aims to “bring warmth to the tea drinker, no matter what time of year it happens to be” and that is a very sweet sentiment which makes me even happier to drink it.
Opening the sealed sample packet my nose positively tingles at the spiciness. A strong concoction of: clove, cinnamon and licorice with a peppery finish strike the nostrils with their presence. I have no idea of what spices are present though I can definitely see pieces of cinnamon bark in the blend. The black leaves are loosely chopped and thinly rolled.
There are many ways to brew Chai but I will go with a good Western method. Approx 5g of tea blend into 320ml cup using boiling water for 3 minutes. Served with a splash of vegan rice milk. Sweetener is a usual addition but when reviewing I leave it out.
Once steeped the tea bares a strong cinnamon spiciness that matches the raw scent.
The first few sips offer a dry, spicy punch that trickles down my throat with a little cough. Very strong and spicy! The cinnamon and clove like refreshing note are dominant on a medium strength black base that adds depth to the blend. It leaves a fragrant aftertaste. It’s strength is very appealing and is a nice everyday Chai. In fact I think this would be a nice morning Chai because it has that kick to wake you up. It was stated to be a warming blend and I can agree with that, it’s warming and cuts through the crisp, cold air with a glow.
Overall: I am nothing if not honest. This was a nice Chai but lacked a few things for my personal taste. Some cardamom pods would have been a nice touch to lift the dry, cinnamon note that pretty much dominated the blend. While I adore cinnamon it was rather dry which was mostly noticeable in the after taste. Despite that it held it’s own compared to the many Chai blends I have tasted and is similar to some I have had the privilege of trying. While it didn’t get top marks it got better than average and I know I will be enjoying the rest of this in my mug.
Until next time, Happy Steeping!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Leaf with Spices
Where to Buy: Tea Of Fortunata
Description:
Bring the enchantment of December’s twilight into every month of the year. Rejuvenate yourself with this exotic mix of high-grown tea and spices. The fair trade black tea comes from Sri Lanka, while the mix of spices and seeds come from all over the world, mostly from Kerala, India’s spice coast.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chai Spice from Jade Monk
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Jade Monk
Tea Description:
Leave It to Tanuki, the mischievous raccoon-dog of Japanese folklore, to mix the subtle spices of Indian chai and the powerful health benefits of Jade Monk
®matcha green tea. Chai Spice captures the playful, unexpected spirit of Tanuki with a hint of sweetness and a balanced taste of cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. Lurking behind the complex flavor is the enhanced antioxidant power of Jade Monk®matcha, ready to help fortify the body and clarify the mind. Keep the legend alive-celebrate Tanuki and Jade Monk®, with a cup of Chai Spice, hot or cold, today.
Learn more about this energy drink mix here.
Taster’s Review:
Since my most successful samplings of the Jade Monk products have been when I stirred the finely ground powder into cool water, that is what I chose to do this time. I think that the stevia tastes better when it’s cold than when it’s hot … and after a couple of conversations with other tea drinkers, I’ve discovered that I’m not the only one who feels this way.
First impression: this is sweet. Beyond the sweetness, though, there’s a pleasing set of spices. Leading the spice charge is cinnamon, followed by the cardamom and clove. I like this simple list of spices. I think that this would have been an interesting drink if there were some ginger – it would have given the flavor a bit more of a peppery spice. As it is, the spices here seem to be on the sweeter, more exotic side. That’s enjoyable too, but, I think a contrast with some ginger-y heat might be nice.
I don’t taste a lot of the Matcha, here, but, I guess that’s the point. Matcha tends to be an acquired taste – not everyone is as crazy for it as I am … and I’d consider myself to be moderately crazy for it. There are some people who MUST have their daily matcha, while I can go a day or two … sometimes even a week or two without really thinking about it. But lately, I’ve been on a bit of a Matcha kick – I love the energizing effect it has on me.
And THAT is the point of this powdered tea mix. Energy! These Matcha drink mixes allow the drinker to enjoy the benefits and energizing power of Matcha without the strong vegetative tones that some people find off-putting. So, while I do find myself missing the flavor of Matcha here, I know that there are those that will find this tea to be right up their alley.
As for me, I found it enjoyable. It goes down easily, tastes good, and motivates me to get the things done that need to get done! (And I’ve got a lot of stuff that needs doing!) So, for this burst of energy, I have to thank Jade Monk!
