Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where To Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
Our Vanilla Rooibos Chai tea features a delightful blend of masala chai spices, red rooibos and a hint of vanilla. Rooibos Vanilla Chai is naturally caffeine free, making it a perfect any-time tea. Much like its caffeinated cousin Masala Chai, this tea tastes delicious with milk and sugar.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Well, as I’m writing this, it’s late at night. I’m a night owl. My husband works the swing shift (although his shift is about to change! This may change my sleeping habits.) Because of his odd hours, I stay up later to be awake when he arrives home so that I can fix him something to eat and maybe watch TV and spend a little time with him before heading to bed. Another bonus to staying up later – at least in the summer! – is that it’s cooler at night so I get to enjoy some cool temperatures rather than trying to battle the heat. It’s been a hot summer so far!
Anyway … when its later at night, I like to sip on something that’s caffeine free, so that’s the time that I typically reach for a tisane like this Vanilla Rooibos Chai blend from The Persimmon Tree. I can still enjoy a spicy-sweet treat in my teacup without having to worry that it’s going to keep me awake when I should be trying to catch some Zzz’s.
This smells awesome. It’s a medley of aromas: orange, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. I can even smell the nutty sweetness of the rooibos, but I like that this is more of an understated scent, and the fragrance of the spices are prominent.
This is true of the flavor as well. Sure I taste the nutty, honeyed sweetness of the rooibos herb, but, it unifies with the spices and the orange to create a very seamless flavor that’s evoking thoughts of a spice cookie.
The spices are zesty. The ginger adds a real punch of spice along with the cinnamon. This is a warmer cinnamon, almost like a red-hot type of cinnamon flavor but without the overly cloying candied sweetness. The cardamom and cloves add a warm backdrop of spice and the vanilla softens the flavors just a little bit, giving the overall cup a lightly sweet, creamy tone.
I like the touch of orange to this – it really brightens the cup and perks up the flavors of the tisane. Everything comes together in a very pleasing way. It’s sweet, spicy and tasty. It’s reminiscent of the cooler days of the holiday season when yummy things are baking in the kitchen, and that’s a very welcome flavor to enjoy on this late evening.
