Product Information:
Antioxidant rich black tea, fresh ginger, spices and a touch of soy milk.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
While out shopping at Whole Foods, I found Bhakti Chai! Having previously tried their Chai concentrates, I knew I would enjoy this Ready-to-Drink Original Iced Bhakti Chai, so I grabbed a bottle of it. (In case you’re wondering, my favorite of the concentrates is the Unsweetened Chai.)
I really enjoyed this RTD Chai … although, I must say that I really prefer the concentrate because I can control the type (and amount) of milk product that is added. This ready-to-drink iced chai is made with soy milk, and I found the texture of this to be somewhat lacking.
Yeah, I know it’s the hip thing to like soy milk, but, I prefer good old cow’s milk. Or, if I need to go dairy-free, I’ll go with an almond milk. Soy just doesn’t do it for me. One thing I will say about the soy … it was less creamy and heavy tasting, which was nice for this very warm, end of the summer day.
But I was happy that this tasted as spicy as I remember Bhakti Chai tasting. Lots of fiery ginger and warm spice. This is sweetened, so it is a little sweeter than I usually go for when it comes to chai but, it is still a really tasty RTD, and better than a lot of the RTDs that are out there.
Overall, I really enjoyed this Chai, and I was happy to find it at my local Whole Foods. I tried to find the concentrate at Whole Foods too, but, I didn’t find it anywhere. I would love for them to start carrying the concentrate because this is a yummy, delicious, ginger-y chai!
Star Anise Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Blue Lotus Chai
Chai Description:
Our new Star Anise Masala Chai is absolutely delicious! It has all of the signature BLC spices, with star anise contributing deep, but subtle licorice notes.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
OK … do you guys remember when I first reviewed the Original Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai and I suggested in that review that they add some Star Anise or Fennel to the chai for some licorice-y notes? Well, guess what? They took my advice! (Those people at Blue Lotus Chai … they’re smart cookies!) And they contacted me after they perfected the blend … and sent me some of it to try! And I’m sure it’s no great surprise: I love this stuff!
I like this Star Anise Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai even better than the original Masala Chai, and I’m not just saying that because I suggested the Star Anise. I’m saying because I love that hint of licorice-y snap that the additional spice adds. It’s just a hint of licorice-like taste. It doesn’t attempt to compete with the other spices, instead, it blends in there harmoniously, creating a very enjoyable, exceptionally well-spiced cup of chai!
This is delicious iced too. Instead of adding the full 4 ounces of water to the chai, I’ll add some ice cubes to the blender along with the chai mix and milk, and blend until the ice cubes are obliterated. It’s like a frosty cool, iced “frappe/freddo” type of beverage you might get from the local coffee shop without having to pay five bucks a cup for it. YUM!
The spices here are good and strong – just like in the original Masala Chai from Blue Lotus Chai – spicy, peppery and sweet. I love the balance of spices in this chai because one spice is not stronger or heavier than the others … I taste a little bit of cinnamon, a little bit of clove … a little bit of ginger, black pepper, nutmeg and cardamom too. And then there is that delightful licorice-y tone from the Star Anise! LOVE!
This is the PERFECT chai … I love love love it. I might … even like this better than my Masterpiece Chai. And that’s saying something … because … well, that was a masterpiece! (Even if I do say so myself.) Next suggestion for the brilliant minds at Blue Lotus Chai: How about a Chocolate Rose Chai!
So Long, and Thanks for All the Licorice Black Chai Blend from Butiki Teas
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Chai Description:
One of our customers, Sasha, challenged us to create a unique licorice masala chai custom blend. We ended up loving her blend so much, that we decided to offer it on our website. The name of this tea is a reference to one of the owner’s favorite authors, Douglas Adams. This soothing tea features licorice; however, the spice notes are also present and linger long after the sip and meld with the licorice notes. With each sip, the licorice and spice notes seem to become stronger yet they are not overly aggressive. While this tea is fantastic plain, this blend shines with a little rice milk and sugar. For a short interview with the brains behind this tea, click HERE.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
I love licorice, so when I heard about this licorice-y masala chai, I got very excited. And this tea – So Long, And Thanks For All The Licorice Black Chai Blend from Butiki Teas – is worth all the hype, because it’s AHH-mazing!
First of all, I absolutely love the name because I love Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Then, I open up the pouch and I see big, whole pieces of star anise (one of my favorite tea spices!) and I can smell all the amazing spices and most of all I can smell the licorice! This is very licorice-y! This tea takes licorice to a whole other level. If you aren’t a fan of black licorice, this tea is not for you. But, if you love licorice, you’re probably going to love this chai like I do.
The base is Butiki Teas’ Organic Guranse, and it provides a nice, earthy richness to the cup. And while the licorice is very strong in this tea, I like that I do taste the other spices in the chai. I taste the cinnamon, a hint of clove and cardamom, and a slight nutty tone from the nutmeg. It’s truly a wonderful and unique chai – unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before … but am really glad to be tasting it now, because I LOVE licorice!
This is easily one of the best (if not the best) licorice-y teas that I’ve ever tried. In fact, I can’t think of one at the moment that even compares. This is truly a treat for this licorice lover.
Vanilla Mint Chai from Rishi Tea
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Rishi Tea
Tea Description:
Creamy, rich textured and inviting, this pu-erh based chai is unlike any other. Its delicate balance of silky and luscious vanilla bean, bright and soothing peppermint and sweet cinnamon transform this chai into something magical.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! I really like this, although I don’t know that I’d agree with calling it a “chai.” Yeah, yeah, I know that chai means tea and so therefore all tea is technically chai … but I’ve come to recognize the word “chai” as meaning a masala (or combination) of spices. And since this Vanilla Mint Chai from Rishi Tea only has cinnamon, licorice root and vanilla that truly qualify as “spices” (I’d categorize peppermint as an herb, wouldn’t you?), I don’t think that’s enough “spices” to call this a chai.
Regardless, it is tasty!
The Pu-erh base offers an earthy background, although with the strong peppermint notes and the creamy tone of vanilla, the earthy notes do not overwhelm. It truly is a “background” note in this blend. And since I tend to shy away from the overly earthy teas, the fact that the earthiness here is subtle is quite alright with me.
The combination of peppermint and vanilla offer a taste that’s quite like the creamy center of a peppermint patty candy bar. YUM! The licorice root is subtle but adds a nice snappy contrast to the peppermint, and the cinnamon gives a hint of spice to the overall cup. All these notes are subtle compared to the vanilla and mint … these two dynamic flavors are the stars of the show here.
Even so, the mint isn’t TOO minty, it doesn’t taste toothpaste-y, it just has a crisp, cool taste that contrasts with the silky, creamy notes of the vanilla. The flavors of the spices and herb soften the earthy tones of the Pu-erh … providing a very smooth, satisfying cup for even those of us who tend to suffer from Pu-erh anxiety. In fact, there isn’t one flavor here that really overpowers the others … this is really a nicely balanced cup and a very interesting combination of flavors!
Lemon Meringue Chai from 52Teas
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Chai Description:
As for this blend, well, it’s just a bit of heaven in a cup. Our house blended masala chai with lemon myrtle, lemon peel, marshmallow root and all organic flavors. It’s chai with a sweet pucker.
Anybody who thinks chai is just for wintertime hasn’t had a chai like this before. I’m pretty sure this will be a major crowd pleaser. Make it as an iced tea latte for a real special treat.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
It may come as no big surprise to anyone reading this right now that I’m a subscriber to 52Teas Teas of the Month program. Once a month, I get an envelope full of teas from 52Teas. When April’s envelope arrived, THIS was the tea I was most excited to try. I love chai … and I LOVE lemon meringue pie. I was sure this would be a winner for me.
And while this Lemon Meringue Chai from 52Teas IS a tasty chai, I’m finding myself a wee bit disappointed. First of all, the tea base is a straight up Assam, and while I do love Assam tea, I don’t know what it is about the Assam teas that 52Teas acquires but they just seem to work better in blends than they do straight. The Assam teas from 52Teas tend to be on the harsh side when used on their own (that is, not part of a black tea blend) and I’m noticing some harshness with this tea (I only steeped it for 2 1/2 minutes too!) Of course, I’m about to contradict myself here … because one of my all-time favorite teas from 52Teas is the French Vanilla Assam … but somehow the Assam worked well with the french vanilla notes but not so much with the lemon meringue chai flavors.
I like the spice blend just fine, it’s got a nice level of spice … not so spicy as to overpower the cup, but spicy enough to remind the drinker that this is a CHAI. I like the lemon-y note as well but, I’m finding myself wishing that there was just a touch of vanilla in this to make the lemon notes a little creamier … you know, like a lemon-y curd kind of taste … that’s the kind of lemon note I was looking for here but didn’t find.
The marshmallow root is a pleasing touch but it’s almost overwhelmed by the rest of the flavors of this cup … in particular, the Assam. As I reach mid-cup to the last few sips of the cup, the marshmallow root starts to emerge more, and this is a delightful surprise, but, I do wish there was a tad more … marshmallow-y goodness to this … that may make up for the lack of vanilla-y notes for the lemon.
Overall, this is alright. Not the worst cuppa I’ve ever had, certainly, but also not my favorite from 52Teas. I think I like the idea of a Lemon Meringue Chai blend better than the actual execution of it. It does make a tasty iced tea, though (It definitely gets better as it cools!) … and it is certainly worth a try, and I’m glad I did try it.