Country Chai Spice from The Cozy Leaf already made me feel warm and relaxed just from the name. Makes me think of being under a quilt out at a cabin, maybe beside a warm fire. Beyond the name, this tea had a surprisingly pleasant long list of spices in its ingredients list. Cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, I expect, but not all chai teas comes with cloves and anise, and the never seem to come with fennel. What a lovely change of pace.
Brewed, this is a sweeter chai, thanks to a hearty serving of anise and cinnamon. The anise isn’t strong enough to make this a black jelly bean chai, but it does add its token throat-soothing, candy-like properties.
Much to my surprise, the ginger and clove take a back seat in this tea, subtle enough that you might miss them if you’re not paying attention. The fennel and cardamom are gentle and earthy, and add a much needed almost-savory pairing to the anise and cinnamon.
Just when I’ve thought that I’ve tried every chai tea I can think of, I find something new. I look forward to getting cozy with another cup of Country Chai Spice from the Cozy Leaf sometime soon.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Cozy Leaf
Description:
Full-bodied black tea chai made with real chai spices of rich cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, and sweet anise and clove for a healthy and delicious treat.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate Coconut Truffle from The NecessiTeas. . .
First things first, let’s Google: Chocolate truffles vs pig-found mushroom truffles…. because I’ve seen mushroom teas out there, and i just want to be ready for it…. but verdict says: they are called the same name because of how they LOOK, not taste. Phew, ok. Both good eats but not anything I’d want to taste together, I don’t think…
I see almond slices and rooibos playing among the coconut slivers and black tea leaves whilst I brewed at 180 F. After 3 min, there was so much coconut oil on top that even JP Sears would be jealous. Then it literally sparkled on its way out of my gravity strainer, oh how I would love to drop it through again. The infusion looks like a translucent milk chocolate bar, it smells mostly like dark chocolate with hints of that sweet earthy coconut. Mmmmmm!
At first it Tastes of coconut, Tropical and luxurious. The aftertaste for about a minute is seriously so chocolatey – that feeling after you eat the last morsel and the last bits of melted heaven swirl around your tastebuds on their way down. Pleasant without sweetener, which for me is saying something! As the tea gets cooler, the aftertaste then becomes very juicy and refreshing. This would also be fantastic cold brewed as an iced tea, No wonder it’s currently sold out!
The second steep is enjoyable though not as oily or sparkly, which is understandable. It reminds me of my Dad’s favorite candy bar, Almond Joy. I’d share this tea with him but he’s on a Hawaiian vacation so I guess this is how I live vicariously through it.
Kiddo and I have only watched Moana six times since Friday, so this irrefutable inspiration to end by re-appropriating the lyrics of her song can be blamed on him … (and you’re welcome for the earworm… google that!)
“Every spoon I scoop, every cup I pour, Every sip I take, I keep wanting more, I keep looking back to that tea webstore, and no one knows… how my stash grows….”
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
From first sip, this marvelous blended black tea tastes like an exotic tropic night–dark, playful, with the perfect amount of warm chocolate, creamy coconut, and hints of bright notes that are reminiscent of the coming sunrise. You can almost hear the trade winds blowing through the palm trees! Add a little coconut milk to take this lovely tea blend from delicious to decadent!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lady Grey from IndiasTea. . . .
It’s hard to pin down exactly what makes a tea a Lady Grey blend. I believe Twinings tea company first coined the term, making a citrusy earl grey tea without powerful bergamot oil. Either way, Lady Grey blends tend to be earl-grey-inspired teas blended to be a bit more gentle or ladylike. Lady Grey from India Teas certainly fits into that category.
While this blend has bergamot oil in it, it is at much lower levels than your average earl grey. Instead of the intense bergamot, this tea is accented with lemon peel and orange peel, making for milder and gentler citrus tones.
The leaves and the brewed tea had a fragrance of lemon-vanilla, reminding me of lemon poppyseed muffins. The tea is bright and pleasant, but not overly sweet, still preserving some of the citrus pop of traditional earl grey.
Brewed, the leaves appear much greener than when they are dry. I’m not sure exactly what type of tea leaves are used as a base, but the flavor and color lead me to believe it is a darjeeling, or less oxidized tea. The more delicate leaves suit the airy lemon peel flavors and ladylike theme.
Lemon is the star player in this blend since there is no black tea tannin richness to overpower it. This Lady Grey is light and drinkable, a sunny lemon brew with just a little grounding to distinguish it from an herbal tea.
This is a delectable alternative to powerful earl greys, and might just be your new favorite citrus tea for cold brewing as the weather gets warmer.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: black
Where to Buy: Indias Tea
Description:
Not to go by its name, Ladygrey Tea is a modern creation so as to appeal to every age groups with its distinctly citrus fragrance.
Ladygrey Tea is a Tea blend which has been flavored with the addition of oil of bergamot to provide a relaxing and calming effect by taking you on a only-me journey.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry from Zen Tea Life. . . .
I am always fascinated by how something so simple can impact a cup of tea. For instance, I have had this Strawberry Black Tea by Zen Tea Life before and when I initially had it, it was in a small 6 oz mug. In that mug, the flavor was like a very pleasant shot of strawberry.
Today I brewed it up in a 16 oz mug and the black tea base is far more prominent. It is smooth and almost chocolatey so the presence of the base in and of itself is not offensive. However, with the prevalence of the black tea, the strawberry flavor I enjoyed in my first cup is lacking.
The strawberry flavor has devolved into a generic fruity note. It is no longer discernible as strawberry or even berry. Instead, it now comes off like the red fruit flavor found in a lot of French teas. It is not bad but there is nothing all that interesting about it either.
With all of this said, it seems as though it is a moot point as Zen Tea Life has transitioned to a company that sells just teaware. As such, this tea is no longer available. On the off chance it becomes available again, the key is to brew it in a smaller mug it seems.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zen Tea Life
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tamarind Orange Pop from A Quarter To Tea. . .
This is like a tangy orange creamsicle! Not the sweet kind, but the kind with a little bit of zesty bite. I suspect that this comes from the tamarind, a substance I’d never heard of until this tea.
According to this site , tamarind a tree-growing legume that is: “Sweet but tart, and sometimes very sour, tamarind is potent. A little goes a long way. While tamarind pulp can be eaten alone, it is most often mixed with sugar and/or diluted to mellow the strong flavor.”
Isn’t it kind of amazing that the world is so vast and full of things you’ve never tried (or perhaps even heard of)? Biodiversity. OH MY GOSH. It’s so cool, guys. Trying teas has turned into Planet Earth for me. Soapberries, tamarind, bergamot: who knew? (Don’t you DARE tell me you knew. Shush.)
ANYTHING can be put into a tea. And A Quarter to Tea has done it! Thank you, friends!
This tea is not available at present, but a Google search for “tamarind tea” yields plenty of results! GO FORTH, MY PRETTIES! TRY IT TODAY!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
