Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tea Description:
So, what goes into a tea named after the terrifying tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman? Pumpkin, of course. (The story goes that the horseman had the head of a pumpkin.) Add to this a select blend of herbs and spices, chai mix, cinnamon and ginger pieces. The taste of Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai, it goes without saying, is to die for!
Learn more about this chai blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I previously reviewed the Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai from Culinary Teas, however, this appears to be a slightly different tea! The tea that I reviewed back in 2011 had candy sprinkles in it, and this doesn’t. Perhaps everything else is the same except for the sprinkles … if that is the case, then I’m revisiting this chai!
To brew this, I used my Kati tumbler. I placed a heaping bamboo scoop of tea into the basket and then I poured boiling water into the tumbler. I let it steep for 3 1/2 minutes. And the aroma wafting out of my tea tumbler right now is warm and spicy and pumpkin-y and … so delightfully autumnal!
This is really yummy. I like that I taste the ginger and I can taste the cinnamon. The spices are very warm; the ginger packs a peppery punch! I suspect that there may be pepper in this too, although the website doesn’t offer an ingredient list so I can’t be certain. But there is definitely some peppery heat that warms the back of the throat. Don’t take that as my inferring that this is too spicy, though, because it’s a moderate heat, there’s just a really pleasant gingery/peppery note to it.
The black tea is smooth and rich. It’s not quite as robust as I would have expected, but I like the smooth flavor and it’s nicely round. It’s a satisfying flavor. There’s not a lot of astringency to the tea. It’s really pleasant.
I found the pumpkin to be somewhat reserved a flavor at first. It wasn’t until I had consumed about 1/4th of the cup that I started to pick up on the sweet-savory pumpkin notes and at that point, they were rather delicate. As I continued to sip, the pumpkin notes developed and now I’m discovering more delicious pumpkin-y flavor.
This chai is a really delightful Halloween treat!
