About Teadrops:
Elaborate tea ceremonies have a time and place. However, if you desire high quality tea and are short on time and tea props, then meet Teadrops.
Each Teadrop is a portable morsel comprised of finely sourced tea from India, natural sugar, and aromatic spices creating a blissful tea blend that can be enjoyed any time, any place, with just hot water. No special tools, no steeping time, no tea expertise necessary.
About Cardamom Spice Teadrops:
An invigorating blend of fresh cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and fine Black Tea from the tea estates of India.
Learn more about Teadrops here.
Taster’s Review:
I have been told on more than one occasion that I am a tea snob. And I guess I am. There are certainly different “levels” of tea: there is exceptional tea, there is excellent tea, there is good tea, and then there is tea that isn’t good at all. There is tea that doesn’t deserve to call itself tea for to call itself tea is an insult to the good tea of the world. So, when I first encountered this product, I wasn’t sure what to think about it. Tea that has been pressed into a “tablet” that is the size of a quarter that you put into your teacup, add hot water, and stir … and then presto! You have tea? I could feel the tea snob in me emerging.
But I was determined to enter into this tea experience with an open mind. Maybe – just maybe! – this could be something exciting. What the heck, I’ll give it a try.
Let me first tell you about the packaging. I LOVE the box. The wood box offers a beautiful presentation. My one comment about the box, though, would be this: I think that this company should also offer their tea drops as “refills” to their repeat customers at a slightly lower price so that the customer can keep reusing the box. This would not only be better for the environment, but, also better for the pocketbook.
The top of the box slides open and there are eight individually wrapped tea drops of different designs: stars, flowers, hearts … cute! The tea “drop” or tablet had a nice aroma – I could smell the cardamom. I poured boiling water over the tablet and stirred, and it did dissolve quickly.
The fragrance wafting from my teacup is amazing. I love the smell of the tea and cardamom. It’s so warm and inviting. And this is actually really tasty. The tea is rich and satisfying. There is a nice amount of cardamom to this – it’s pleasantly spiced without being overdone. It has a comforting, warm taste to it with a zesty flavor. Hints of citrus too.
It tastes like a fine quality tea. It doesn’t taste to me like “tea dust” or “fannings” that you’d find in a grocery store teabag. I can taste the rich, malty flavor of the tea, and I am enjoying the cardamom.
My biggest complaint about these would be that they’re sweetened. But, even so, there isn’t TOO much sugar to this. I like that they aren’t too sweet, but I think I’d rather choose how much sweetener goes into my tea and not have that decision made for me already. It does make it more convenient for those who usually take sugar in their tea to have the sugar in there already, but, for those of us who don’t always add sugar to our tea, this can be the deal breaker. That said, this isn’t too sweet.
There is also some undissolved leaf sediment that sits at the bottom of the cup too. That isn’t something I was terribly happy about, because I’m not one who likes floaters in my tea. For those of you who are of similar thinking, I’d advise to stop drinking when there is about 1/2 an inch of tea left at the bottom of your cup … I didn’t get any sediment/tea leaf in my sip until I tried to drink beyond that 1/2 an inch mark.
But the rest of the cup was quite enjoyable. I would drink this again, and it would be very convenient for traveling , and it tastes a whole lot better than most hotel and/or restaurant bagged teas. The next time I’m traveling, I’m definitely ordering more of these!
Creme Brulee Chai Blend from Herbal Infusions
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Herbal Infusions
Tea Description:
We use a well rounded flowery orange pekoe as the base for this decadent and luxurious chai mix. Hand blended ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, anise, peppercorn, and clove is accented by a rich creme brulee flavour.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Chai blends are among my favorite teas to drink this time of year – when it’s blustery cold outside, there’s really nothing nicer than to have a steaming cup of spicy chai in my tea mug! So, I’m glad I found this Creme Brulee Chai Blend from Herbal Infusions in my stash today. And, YUM! It’s just what I want from a chai: warm, spicy and delicious.
There is a good level of spice to this chai. It’s spicy, but, it’s not over-the-top. It isn’t a jarring level of spice. You know what I’m talking about, right? It’s not so spicy that I’m tasting way too much spice and not enough tea flavor. Here, the spice is strong – stronger than the tea, but that’s alright – but it isn’t overpowering the tea. The tea is tasted. It’s alright if the spices are stronger than the tea in a chai, Most of the time, I prefer it that way when it comes to chai! But I don’t want it so spicy that the flavor of the tea becomes completely obscured by the spice.
I taste the clove and cinnamon above all the other spices, but the cardamom is coming through nicely too. I can even taste that subtle “citrus” note from the cardamom here. The ginger and black peppercorn offer a peppery kick that I like. And there is a subtle hint of licorice-y anise to this as well. Anise is one of my favorite spices to use in a chai, and I’m glad that Herbal Infusions chose to include it in this chai.
And then I taste the creamy, custard-like flavor of the “creme brulee” flavoring in this. Personally, I am wishing I could taste more creme brulee here, not just because the chai is called “Creme Brulee Chai” and I think if it’s going to be called Creme Brulee … I should taste the Creme Brulee front and center and I’m just not getting it that strongly here. I taste it, it’s definitely there, but I want more, because, well, Creme Brulee is my favorite dessert. I was hoping for more custard-like flavor, and also that caramelized note of the burnt sugar atop a creme brulee. As it is, I do taste some creamy notes, some custard-like notes … and barely-there hints of caramel.
This is a very finely chopped chai – the spices and tea are both finely milled into a very fine cut. And because of this, I suggest using a shorter brew time than you might normally employ. It’s good with a dollop of honey or a sprinkling of turbinado sugar to bring out the flavors, however, I found that the creamy notes of the custard flavoring gave this a satisfying latte-like taste so I didn’t need to add milk.
Overall, this is a very flavorful chai. Lots of spice flavor to warm you from the inside out! It’s just the ticket on cold days like this one.
Holiday Blend Black Tea from English Tea Shop
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: English Tea Shop
Tea Description:
Holiday Blend: Black tea, cinnamon pieces, ginger pieces, cardamom pieces, nutmeg pieces, pepper, cloves and orange peels with vanilla and apple flavours.
Taster’s Review:
I received a lovely tea package from a friend for the holiday, and this Holiday Blend Black Tea from English Tea Shop is one of the teas that she sent me. And because the ingredients sound very “chai-like” to me, I decided to categorize this as a chai tea as well as a black tea.
However, I must admit that it doesn’t taste quite as chai-like as it sounds. (Yes, I know that chai means tea … but I’ve come to think of chai as a blend of spices and tea rather than just “tea.”) This is a bagged tea, and I’ve never made any secret about my feelings about bagged teas, but for what this is (that being a bagged tea) it’s really not bad. I steeped it for 2 1/2 minutes in boiling water and the flavor is sweet and warmly spiced with tasty fruit notes.
The black tea base is a mild-tasting black tea, leaving me to suspect that it is probably a Ceylon. It has a medium body, and it has a smooth, even taste – it’s not an overly assertive tasting tea.
The spices are not assertive either. They’re gently warming, and I think that with this particular blend, it is the moderate spice levels that make it work … there is just the right amount of spice here. In one sip, I notice subtle touches of cinnamon, ginger and clove. In the next, I’ll pick up on hints of cardamom, and nutmeg. In the next, I’ll notice the softness of vanilla peeking through, and a kick of pepper toward the finish. Every spice is represented without the blend ever tasting too spicy.
The same is true for the apple and orange notes. The apple is smooth and sweet, and the orange brightens the cup with a sunny note of citrus, but neither fruit tastes overly done. All the flavors here have been carefully balanced so that all the flavors are accounted for without any one flavor profile overpowering the blend.
It’s a pleasant cup of holiday cheer!
Rooibos Spice Tisane from Mint Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Tea Purchased from Mint Tea
Product Available Online at Strand Tea
Tisane Description:
Rooibos Spice Caffeine Free Herbal Tea. Organic Red Rooibos blended with Natural Cacao Bits, Ginger Pieces, Cinnamon Bark, Chicory Root, Barley Malt, Cardamom Pods, and Black Peppercorns. What a great winter tea! Rich & flavorful, sure to be a favorite treat any time of year.
Taster’s Review:
I bought this tisane when I visited the Mint Tea Shop in Vancouver, Washington some time ago. I knew that they obtained some of their teas from Strand Tea, including this one.
While some of the ingredients in this Rooibos Spice Tisane from Mint Tea appear to be chai-like, and the flavor of the tisane is somewhat chai-esque, there’s some other flavors going on here that I don’t usually find in a chai.
Like chicory and barley malt, for example. The chicory gives the drink a coffee-ish background note, a deep, roasted sort of flavor that accentuates the spices in a really interesting way. I also enjoy the way the chicory and the cacao work together. I also taste the malty tones from the barley malt, giving the cup a “grainy” flavor that adds an intriguing depth.
The spices are well-defined here. I taste the cinnamon throughout the sip, and there is a backdrop of pepper and ginger. The cardamom adds some exotic warmth to this beverage.
This is really tasty, winter-y kind of tisane, something that I can see myself drinking whenever I want something warm and soothing, but something that won’t stimulate me the way a caffeinated tea would.
Coconut Chai Black Tea Blend from Zhi Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zhi Tea
Tea Description:
Our unique Coconut Chai begins with organic coconut pieces and our top-quality organic Assam Black whole leaf tea.
Accompanying this superb pairing is a medley cinnamon, ginger, and whole cardamom. Bursting with the essence of the tropics, this handcrafted blend will soothe, nourish, and uplift your spirits. Share a steaming mug with a good friend.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of the dry leaf is tempting with notes of sweet coconut and spicy cinnamon and ginger. I waited anxiously for this Coconut Chai Black Tea Blend from Zhi Tea to finish steeping … three minutes seems like forever when you can’t wait to taste the tea! (And then there’s the cooling time! Argh! The anticipation!!!)
But this chai is well worth the wait! YUM! It’s a delicious way to warm you up. The spices are sweet yet spicy, and mingle in a very enjoyable way with the sweet, creamy coconut notes. I like that the coconut adds just the right creaminess to the cup; no dairy is needed to enjoy a latte-like experience. However, if you want to enhance those creamy tones, a splash of milk will do that for you.
The black tea base is an Assam tea, and I can taste the richness it provides. It has a smooth texture and a malty flavor that melds well with the sweetness of the coconut. The tea is full-flavored and has a sweet, caramel-esque undertone, and it is moderately astringent. It is bold enough to stand up to the strength of the spices, and I like that I can enjoy the flavor of this Assam as well as the other ingredients of the blend.
This is not an overtly spicy chai. The cinnamon tastes sweet, the ginger adds a pepper-ish kick to the cup while the cardamom adds a touch of warmth to the cup. It isn’t what I’d call a hot or spicy chai, rather, I would call it warm and inviting. This is the kind of chai that I think most people could enjoy – even the ones who tend to shy away from chai because they’re a bit too much for them. I think that the coconut mellows out the spices just enough to make this a warm chai but not a spicy one.