Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: MarketSpice
Product Description:
Our standard chai spice blend with Rooibos, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Ginger, Nutmeg, Orange Peel and Vanilla flavoring. High in anti-oxidants and naturally caffeine free.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve had my share of rooibos chai teas in the past: some good, some not so good. This one is one of the best that I’ve tried. The spices are robust, and I like the touch of orange and vanilla and even the nutmeg that’s been added to some of the “usual suspects” of masala chai. It is the strength of the spices that kicks this tisane “up a notch” for me because these delicious spices replace (or mask) that unappealing aftertaste of the rooibos.
In fact, there really is very little of the rooibos that I taste here. I do taste the nutty character of the rooibos, and it is accented well with the nutty flavor of the nutmeg.
What I do taste in this cup is a delicious blend of warm spices. These spices have a nice balance, because the tisane doesn’t taste overly ginger-y, or overly cinnamon-y. It just tastes warm and spicy without being too over-the-top in spices. The vanilla offers a deliciously sweet, creamy touch to the cup, while the orange perks up the flavors, adding a bright little citrus-y taste to the tisane while enhancing the rooibos natural fruity tones that are so often missed.
The rooibos leaves in this blend seem to be a bit smaller (finer?) than I usually see in rooibos blends, so I recommend steeping this tisane in a tea-bag type product such as these Tea Pockets to help keep the spent leaves out of your beverage.
This tisane doesn’t need any sweetener, although I don’t think the addition of some honey or turbinado sugar would hurt anything. It would also make a tasty, caffeine free latte.
This is not only one of the best (if not the best) chai rooibos blends I’ve tasted, it is also one of the best rooibos blends I’ve had. Period. It’s awesome!
