Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Chai-Wallah’s
Product Description:
Our organic chai spice with Fair Trade Organic Rooibos (pronounced “roy-boss”) or Red Tea from South Africa. High in antioxidants , low in tannins and caffeine free it has a natural nutty sweet taste which is enhanced the longer it is boiled. Our Rooibos Chai is surprisingly full-bodied and satisfying without the caffeine kick yet soothing any time of the day.
Taster’s Review:
Having tried a few different chai blends from Chai-Wallah’s now, I can say one thing with complete confidence: you can always count on Chai-Wallah’s to deliver on the spice! This Spice with Rooibos is no exception. It is one SPICY chai!
I am really surprised at how much I am liking this, especially given my feelings for rooibos. But, this tisane has a couple of things going for it that an ordinary rooibos doesn’t have. First, it’s organic, and as I’ve said before, there is a difference in flavor between the conventionally-grown rooibos and organically-grown rooibos. Second, this one has a very bold level of spices that doesn’t actually mask the rooibos, but the natural sweet, nutty flavor of the rooibos seems to work perfectly with the spice blend.
As I’ve already mentioned, this is a spicy blend. However, the spices have a nice harmony going on… the ginger and pepper represent the strongest peppery notes, but the cinnamon also comes on strong, while the cloves and cardamom provide a nice, radiant warmth in the background.
Served hot, I find this to be warm and comforting. Not a lot of sweetener is needed here, because there is a natural sweetness delivered by the rooibos. But I do find that a tiny drizzle of honey gives the cup a nice, round flavor.
However, in this weather, hot is just… well, too hot! I recommend trying this as an iced latte! Here’s how I made it:
- Brew a concentrated amount of Spice with Rooibos from Chai-Wallah’s.
- After allowing it to come to a cooler temperature, I put the brewed chai in the freezer to let it get to a slushy-ice texture.
- Add the slushy chai, a few ice cubes, and some milk to the blender, and blend until it’s well blended.
Another idea derived from this method is to make a chai granita!
YUM!!!
