Sometimes I read up on a tea before trying it. Sometimes I just make a cup and start sipping. I figured “chocolate” and “puerh” were pretty self-explanatory so I boiled some water and got down to business.
I expected the earthy flavor of puerh tea and rich chocolate or cocoa taste. Before I even tasted it, I smelled something more akin to Mexican hot chocolate. What’s going on here?
The first sip offered a sweet spice that I wasn’t expecting. I knew I tasted cinnamon and something else…nutmeg! And cardamom! The puerh flavor is pretty light, the chocolate flavor is mild enough not to cover up the spices and thankfully doesn’t have that horrible mildew odor that some chocolate teas have. There is honeybush and rooibos in this, which must be part of the foundational symphony of flavors because they don’t stand out on their own to me. I actively dislike rooibos so for me to enjoy this means there isn’t much here, or it is adequately covered by the other flavors. I am not really picking up the orange flavor, and I am glad because orange + cinnamon has been done to death!
We don’t do tea bags much. Bags that are dirt cheap usually aren’t a quality that we enjoy. Bags that are not dirt cheap need to resteep for us or they just aren’t worth buying. I am on steep three for this one. I approve!
TLDR: light earthy puerh that tastes like cocoa with cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon, reminiscent of Mexican hot chocolate.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Numi Organic Tea
Description
This velvety infusion combines black Pu∙erh tea and organic cocoa. Accented by whole vanilla beans and sweet orange peel, this decadent blend is rounded off with nutmeg and cinnamon for a spicy finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate PuErh from Numi Organic Teas
Numi’s Chocolate Pu-erh bags are the perfect intro to flavored Puerh: organic yet inexpensive, and bagged for easy travel. In fact it was the very first tea I pulled from my very first sampler, an inexpensive add-on in my amazon cart. This is also sold loose leaf by the pound.
I have to admit I was skeptical because not only did I dislike chocolate, but I also had heard “fishy” things about the fermented tea. But as a scientist, I had to test these assumptions, and the evidence supported the null hypothesis. This was a light bodied, full flavor tea, that I’ve found is impossible to screw up in the brewing process.
This silky brown infusion reminds me of a hot cocoa with toasted marshmallows fresh from the campfire, and ooooooh that tiniest hint of that nutmeg. Alton Brown would be proud. As a final touch of perfection, cue a chef’s kiss, no sweetener was needed!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Pu-Erh
Where to Buy: Numi Tea
This velvety infusion combines black Pu∙erh tea and organic cocoa. Accented by whole vanilla beans and sweet orange peel, this decadent blend is rounded off with nutmeg and cinnamon for a spicy finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate from Pu-Erh Numi Teas. . . .
I’ve found that sometimes pu-erh teas can be a bit complicated, there’s a lot of history and process that’s worth knowing if you take your pu-erh seriously. However, I had a completely different experience with Chocolate Pu -Erh from Numi, which is one of the most approachable pu-erh teas I’ve tried.
Pu-erh teas are known for their exceptionally smooth mouthfeel and their earthy taste. Adding chocolate to that combination sounds like a great idea. This Chocolate Pu-Erh came in an easy-to-use sample tea bag, not in a big tea cake, so no special tools or teapots were necessary. Just add hot water and a mug. The dry tea smelled a little sour with a hint of vinegar. However, once I brewed the tea, the flavors were far more inviting, with a strong fragrance of cocoa and roasted nuts.
This tea had a forward chocolate flavor, but it was rounded out by the more savory, earthiness of the pu erh tea underneath. There is a hint of fermentation flavors that I expect from pu-erh teas; a subtle undertone, almost like wet leaves or flowers, slightly sweet and slightly sour. The richness of the pu-erh leaves and the decadence of the chocolate are only enhanced by the creamy, velvety mouthfeel as I sipped this tea.
If you are tired of the bright and biting flavors of breakfast black teas, try a pu-erh tea like Chocolate Pu-Erh from Numi. The rich, smooth, taste and texture are a completely different experience that may open the door to a new world of teas to try.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Pu erh
Where to Buy: Numi Teas
Description: This velvety infusion combines black Pu∙erh tea and organic cocoa. Accented by whole vanilla beans and sweet orange peel, this decadent blend is rounded off with nutmeg and cinnamon for a spicy finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
HoneyBush from Numi. . . . .
I haven’t had honey since going vegan over eight years ago. I used to love honey in my tea. When I took my first sip of this tea, I felt like I was a kid drinking herbal tea with lots of honey in it. It has a beautiful aftertaste of honey. It’s perfectly outbalanced. It’s sweet without being too sweet, just like I remember honey.
Apparently honeybush is related to the rooibos plant. I can tell they’re related. Honeybush tea has a similar earthy taste just with a very pleasant sweet finish.
This tea is caffeine free so it is a delicious anytime tea. It would be an amazing dessert tea. I enjoyed this tea two ways. I had it both warm and iced and I loved it both ways. This is one of my favorite herbal teas and I’m just so glad I discovered it!
Just like rooibos tea, honeybush tea is full of antioxidants. I love drinking something that not only tastes so lovely, but is also so good for me as well.
If you haven’t tried honeybush tea yet, you need to do yourself the biggest favor and try it!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: Numi
Description
From South Africa, our organic Honeybush is a flowering shrub that yields a rich earthy brew with sweet honey overtones. This secret healer is rich in antioxidants.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Gratitude from Numi Organic Teas. . . .
If you’ve been around for a hot minute, you know that I love me some licorice root teas. That said: when a licorice root tea is bad, it’s BAD. There’s a fine balance when you’re dealing with something so naturally sweet (hi, have you met my friend stevia leaf?), and it can be tricky for a tea to knock it outta the park.
This tea? Knocked it outta the park! The sumptuous sweetness of licorice root is beautifully balanced here by the herbaceousness of the lemon verbena and gentle spice from the turmeric. I love any tea with beneficial herbs, and this one delivers across the board with calming tulsi and balancing ashwaghanda.
It’s not often that I find myself choosing bagged tea over my beloved loose leaves, but this is a blend that I love to keep on hand for a quick brew at night, or for an afternoon pick-me-up in my desk drawer. Sweet, indeed!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Numi Organic Teas
Description
A silky sweetness embodies this soothing blend of tulsi which warms the heart, licorice that invigorates the spirit, and ashwagandha that protects and supports. The addition of maca, turmeric, and chamomile bring a rootsy, apple-like taste and a spicy finish. The medley is complex and satisfying, allowing you to settle into an affirming state of gratitude for all of life’s gifts.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
