I woke up to a light dusting of snow. It feels like a cozy holiday morning, so of course I’m craving Chai!
I decided to try this Callisto chai and first of all, I have to comment on the beauty of the tea itself. It has so many beautiful cardamom pods. I always know the tea will be amazing when I see cardamom! And it smells out of this world! It smells like a cozy winter morning. I smell nutmeg and cloves, not just the usual cinnamon. It smells much spicier than it tastes.
I’m having mine with a teaspoon of brown sugar and a splash of coconut milk. It’s smooth and delicious. The spice is there, but it’s subtle and sweet, not at all sharp.
I know I keep saying each new chai I try is a new favorite, but I can’t help it, they’ve all been so amazing! This is a chai I would serve to people who are not huge spice fans and might be a little leery of chai or other more “exotic” teas!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: Moongleam Tea Shoppe
Description
This tea is no longer on the site but please click on the link below for what is available.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Masala Chai from Hope and Glory
I still remember my first Chai latte. It was love at first sip. And the spicier the better! Whether at a coffee shop or at home, I never imagined drinking Chai without some sort of plant milk, my favorite is coconut milk.
However, I am also a very impatient person, and I wanted to try this Masala Chai from Hope&Glory, and I have no plant milk. I was kind of scared to try this straight, because some Chai’s I’ve gad in the past are a bit sharp, and need something to tone it down a bit. But it was a cool and crisp morning, the type of morning where I like a cozy Chai.
First of all, the smell of this blend is amazing. I want to live in a field of this blend, and bathe in it. It smells of cinnamon and spice and everything nice that I want in a tea. I put one teaspoon of coconut sugar in my cup, and took my first sip. Smooth, spicy, clean and the perfect amount of everything. It’s spicy without being too sharp, and it tastes like real ingredients, real spices. It tastes like someone whipped it up personally for me.
I’m sad that I have none left. This is the perfect tea for the upcoming cooler months. This is what you want to come home to after a long day, or better yet this is how you want to start your day. This is by far my favorite Chai blend ever.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Hope and Glory
Description
A full-bodied blend of organic Ceylon black tea and spices, Masala Chai derives from the Hindi literally meaning ‘mixed-spice tea’. Spices such as cardamom and cinnamon have been expertly blended to give a warming, rich blend of flavours and a sweet aroma.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Moroccan Mint Green Tea from Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s really makes some great teas at really great prices. It’s just one of the many things I absolutely love about them. This Moroccan mint green tea is no exception. I love mint tea, I love the instant perk up I feel just from taking a whiff. Mint tea actually helped me break my coffee addiction because it just was such a gentler, less aggressive way to wake up my senses. You get the best of both worlds with this tea, the mint is uplifting and energizing, and you get the little green tea energy boost.
I’ve been drinking this tea first thing in the morning for the last few days to help with the fall stuffiness I wake up with. The smell of mint instantly clears my fuzzy head and sinuses. The earthiness of the green tea mellows out the mint tea a little. I’ve had a few mint teas that have been a little on the sharp side for me, but this tea is minty and mellow.
It’s also a very fair price. It’s under three dollars for twenty tea bags, and it’s organic. It tastes much more expensive, trust me!
Although I’ve been drinking this warm, I think this would make a very delicious iced tea too. If you are a fan of mint tea, I cannot recommend this enough!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Trader Joe’s
Description
With Trader Joe’s Organic Moroccan Mint Tea, we’ve simplified a few of the accustomed brewing steps, delivering full flavor in the handy form of a tea bag. Our supplier first sources organic spearmint from the Pacific Northwest—because mint tea isn’t complete without some of the finest mint leaves around. Organic lemongrass—which adds a bit of zest—and organic green tea from South India complete the trifecta of ingredients inspired by that traditional Maghrebi brew.
When steeped, this tea is delightful, refreshing, and oh-so minty. If you’d like it to taste even more like the time-honored, sweet tea served in Morocco, add a heaping spoonful of Organic Sugar to your mug immediately after steeping the tea. You won’t regret it. Of course, our Organic Moroccan Mint Tea isn’t just limited to tradition. Serve over ice with a sprig of mint for a refreshing drink on warmer days.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Vanilla Nut Herbal Coffee Tea Bags from Teeccino
I’ve been wanting to try Teeccino for quite awhile, but I could never find it at any groceries, even health food stores. Teeccino is a caffeine free coffee alternative made with chicory root and other herbs and flavors. Some blends have carob and dandelion root as well. It’s something a lot of coffee drinkers switch to when they’re trying to lower their coffee intake. A box of Teeccino practically hopped off the shelf at Natural Grocers, and I just had to try it. I chose vanilla nut. The vanilla nut has carob, chicory, and also dates and almonds!
As the weather cools, I crave black teas more, and I try to watch my caffeine intake, so this is perfect. I made myself a cup as soon as I got home. First of all, it looks just like coffee. And while it doesn’t smell exactly like coffee, it definitely has a tempting, rich and deep smell. And I could smell the vanilla right away. I let the bag steep for around five or six minutes, and added a little raw sugar, and a little coconut milk. It tastes so vanilla-y with a little nutty taste in the background. I love it, and this will be a staple in my life in these upcoming cooler months
As someone who was a serious coffee addict, I would recommend this to anyone who might be trying to cut back. It hits that sweet spot that comes from a coffee craving. I can’t wait to try their other flavors!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Teeccino
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate Marshmallow Spicier Chai from 52Teas
I was super excited to see a spicier Chai! I love Chai, and I love spice too. This chai is different in that there is no anise, but there is crushed red pepper! It also has vegan white chocolate chips, and vegan dark chocolate! It’s a beautiful tea just to look at really. I enjoyed a cup of this Chai this morning with a touch of coconut sugar, and a little coconut milk. Wow, I know I keep saying it but this might be my favorite Chai ever! Don’t worry about the crushed red pepper, it only adds a little spice, it won’t burn any throats! This Chai is creamy, and sweet and just totally something different from the usual Chai. I didn’t immediately think marshmallow when I tatsed this tea, but I did detect the white chocolate right away. As a vegan I really appreciate that they used vegan chocolate so everyone can enjoy this!
If you enjoy mellower, sweeter Chai’s with a little kick, this will blow your mind. This is my new winter beverage!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This is actually a reblend of sorts – let’s call it a reinterpreted blend since I did take some artistic freedom with this blend because while I did very much enjoy the original, I thought that it could have been spicier. And, I must confess that up until this evening, I had it in my head that the name of this tea was Chocolate Marshmallow Spicier Chai, but I realized as I posted my thoughts about this tea on Steepster that it was actually Chocolate Marshmallow Spicy Chai. Not Spicier – just Spicy.
So when I blended this, I thought I was blending Chocolate Marshmallow Spicier Chai and my memory of the original was that it wasn’t spicy enough to be a “spicier” chai and I added more spices to make it spicier. First, I added some chili pepper flake. Not a lot – but enough to give this a nice, spicy kick – or should I say Spicier kick! There’s a good amount of heat from the chili pepper but not so much that it’s sending me running to the kitchen for a drink of water to extinguish the heat.
And since I am a chocoholic, I added more chocolate flavor with the addition of cacao shells, mini vegan chocolate chips and vegan white chocolate chips. I like the addition of the white chocolate especially, I think that it enhances the marshmallow flavor just a bit. Another change: I didn’t add anise to this blend. Now, I love anise. LOVE it! But I wanted to try it first without the anise because anise can add a rather strong, distinctive licorice-y flavor and I didn’t think I wanted a licorice-y note to this. Maybe at some point, I’ll do a chocolate anise blend or something, but for now, I’m quite happy with this just the way it is!
If you enjoyed the original but thought it needed more spice – you should definitely try this!
organic ingredients: black teas, secret blend of spices, marshmallow root, cacao nibs, cacao shells, mini vegan chocolate chips, vegan white chocolate chips and natural flavors.