Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where To Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
Our white chai is perfectly blended with white tea, chai spices, lemongrass, coconut, fruit pieces and peppercorn for a delicious bold taste. It comprises sweetness from the fruit pieces fused with a bold kick from chai spices and peppercorn.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! OK, so take everything you know about chai and throw it out the window, because this will challenge your thoughts on what chai should be! This is a deliciously different chai!
After reading the above description, my first thought is that this tea has a lot going on. But everything is nicely represented in this cup. I’m not getting too much of anything and it all works together surprisingly well.
Because it’s crafted using a white tea base, the flavors are kept to that level. That is to say that the flavors here are blended skillfully so that the delicate flavors of the white tea are not overpowered. And yes, I can taste the white tea! It’s got a fresh, light, airy taste with hints of a hay-like flavor. It’s subtle, yes, but the other flavors of this cup are also kept on a subtle level so that the white tea doesn’t get lost in the mix.
And that’s not to say that the “chai” here is a mild chai, either. This chai has some kick to it! The ginger is zesty, the cinnamon is well-defined but not overdone. The cardamom and clove and pink peppercorn offer warmth. The “usual chai ingredients” have been utilized here (along with pink peppercorn which is not what I’d classify as a “usual ingredient.”)
With another tea type used as a base, the level of spices used this blend would probably seem a bit on the mellow side, but when combined with a white tea, it becomes rather invigorating and bold!
Then you get the fruit flavors: coconut, pineapple, apple and lemongrass. Yeah, I know lemongrass isn’t technically a “fruit,” but because it adds a nice, lemon-lime-ish flavor to a tea, I’m calling it a ‘fruit flavor’ for the purposes of this review. These sweet fruity notes add a touch of tropical flavor to the cup which is quite enjoyable.
I find myself especially appreciating the coconut because it adds a touch of “creamy” to the cup and because this is a white tea, I didn’t want to go latte with this chai. But I do still like a touch of creamy to most chai blends, it just seems to make it taste a little more indulgent. I like that the coconut adds a little bit of that “latte” creaminess to the cup without overwhelming the blend.
It’s a very unique spin on the traditional chai, one that I enjoyed quite a bit!
To brew: I used my Kati Tumbler (I prefer not to steep chai blends in my Breville because the spices impart their essence in the tea maker that are difficult to remove without soaking in baking soda) and put 1 1/2 bamboo scoops into the basket (remember, I like to use a little extra leaf with a chai as well as with a white tea!) and added 12 ounces of water heated to 170°F. I steeped it for 3 1/2 minutes. Perfection!
Caramel Chai Pu-Erh Tea from Inspired Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Inspired Leaf
Tea Description:
Bold spices and aged tea are mellowed to perfection with smooth caramel.
Inspiration#79 “Age is a state of mind. What’s yours?”
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yummy! I like this way better than I expected to.
I mean … let’s look at the name of the tea, shall we: Caramel – yep, love the stuff. Chai? Oh yeah, one of my favorite teas. Pu-erh? Um … not so much.
OK, so, I will be the first to admit that over the past few years, I’ve discovered that I actually like Pu-erh. Most Pu-erh, that is. But there is always still that lingering doubt. My first few experiences with Pu-erh really tainted my brain and turned me against Pu-erh, even though most (I’d say at least 96%!) of my Pu-erh experiences since those first few have been positive experiences. But those first few have set some sort of unbreakable alarm that sounds off every time I see the word Pu-erh (or any variation on the spelling).
So, I’m always just a wee bit hesitant when it comes to trying Pu-erh.
So, I didn’t expect to love this Caramel Chai Pu-erh the way that I’m loving it.
Since this is a blend rather than a pure leaf Pu-erh, I used my Kati Tumbler to brew it. I added about 1 ½ bamboo scoops of leaf to the basket of the tumbler and filled the tumbler with water heated to 190°F. I then waited 20 seconds and tossed out the liquid (a rinse!) and then I filled the tumbler with another 12 ounces of 190°F water and steeped it for 1 minute. The result is a lovely caramel-y chai!
The base tea is a Pu-erh, but I’m not getting any brine-y, fishy or overly earthy notes from it. I taste lovely spice notes from the ‘chai’ – notes of cinnamon and clove and ginger! The nutmeg is a little less obvious but I don’t think this blend would taste the same without it. The spices aren’t “spicy” but warm and comforting. The earthiness of these spices melds with the earthy notes of the Pu-erh and the result is a very smooth flavor that you’ll want to curl up to.
The Pu-erh is very rich and mellow. The sweet caramel tones of the Pu-erh accent the caramel flavoring to make a really lusciously sweet, dessert-y kind of flavor.
This is a very autumnal taste: cozy, rich, warm and decadent.
I’d recommend this to anyone who doesn’t like pu-erh because of the strong earthy tones or that fishy-briny taste. This tea doesn’t taste like that at all! I believe you’ll be very pleased with the flavors!
Creamy Autumn Chai Tisane from Because UR Priceless
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless on Etsy
Tisane Description:
Autumn is hands down my favorite season! The spectacular show of fall leaves, the crisp fall air, and the smell of bonfires is amazing. I cannot think of a better tea to accompany this vibrant season than our Creamy Autumn Chai. Reminiscent of pumpkin pie, this delightfully delicious blend of red rooibos, cinnamon, orange peel, ginger root, and cloves makes for a great dessert tea (without the calories of an actual slice of pumpkin pie). Adding a touch of milk and honey (or sugar) will complement the luscious flavor and add to decadence of the moment. Go ahead, celebrate fall.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I was quite excited when my package from Because UR Priceless arrived. The samples were neatly packaged in glassine envelopes that have been colorfully labeled and sealed with a strip of decorative tape. These envelopes were tucked inside a small box that also labeled with an inspirational quote:
“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” -J.M. Barrie
The box was finished off with a bright yellow ribbon. I love it when I get packages like this – it’s the special little touches that keep customers coming back for more!
Out of the samples that I was sent, I grabbed this one first. I’m not sure why, exactly, but something about the name of the tea jumped out and grabbed me: Creamy Autumn Chai. It seemed like just the right tea to be drinking today.
As I steeped this tea – 195°F for 10 minutes – I found myself wondering what element of this tea would make it seem creamy? The rooibos? The cinnamon or the ginger or the cloves? The orange peel? None of these ingredients strike me as a particularly “creamy” flavor when infused.
While I’m still unsure which ingredient was considered creamy, I’m guessing that the rooibos is the creamy factor in this arrangement. I never really considered rooibos to be a creamy tasting herb, except when cream and/or vanilla flavors are added to it. Maybe it’s the natural nutty tones of the rooibos that give off a creamy taste?
Anyway, I started to find myself confused and dedicating far more thought to it than maybe I should. I decided to just sit back and enjoy the tisane instead of focusing on the word creamy.
It’s a nice blend of spices. I feel like just the right balance was achieved with these spices. The cinnamon is sweet yet zesty, the cloves are warm and the ginger adds a nice bit of heat to the cup without going too spicy. I like that I can taste each of these ingredients and they seem to be working together in a unified way to create a cozy medley of flavor. No one spice is trying to overpower the others.
It tastes like pumpkin pie spices! Definitely autumnal. Warm and comforting. Soothing to drink. I especially like the orange and the bright touch of flavor that it adds to the cup.
The rooibos is a nice base for these flavors. It’s nutty and woodsy – certainly two flavors that I would associate with autumn. A sweet, honey-like flavor. Quite a pleasant mix of flavors: the rooibos, the spices and the orange.
And you know what, the more I drink this … the more I understand the creaminess. It’s not an obvious creamy note, but there is a certain creaminess to this that becomes more noticeable as I continue to sip.
The flavors evoke thoughts of autumn – specifically of autumn leaves. It probably goes without saying that the spices are very autumnal. But it’s the addition of orange that makes me think of the leaves and the natural woodsy and nutty tones of the rooibos that make me think of the leaves as they change their color and fall to the ground.
This is the first of the teas that I’ve tried from this company, and I’m pleased with what I’ve experienced thus far from them. I look forward to more!
Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tea Description:
So, what goes into a tea named after the terrifying tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman? Pumpkin, of course. (The story goes that the horseman had the head of a pumpkin.) Add to this a select blend of herbs and spices, chai mix, cinnamon and ginger pieces. The taste of Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai, it goes without saying, is to die for!
Learn more about this chai blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I previously reviewed the Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai from Culinary Teas, however, this appears to be a slightly different tea! The tea that I reviewed back in 2011 had candy sprinkles in it, and this doesn’t. Perhaps everything else is the same except for the sprinkles … if that is the case, then I’m revisiting this chai!
To brew this, I used my Kati tumbler. I placed a heaping bamboo scoop of tea into the basket and then I poured boiling water into the tumbler. I let it steep for 3 1/2 minutes. And the aroma wafting out of my tea tumbler right now is warm and spicy and pumpkin-y and … so delightfully autumnal!
This is really yummy. I like that I taste the ginger and I can taste the cinnamon. The spices are very warm; the ginger packs a peppery punch! I suspect that there may be pepper in this too, although the website doesn’t offer an ingredient list so I can’t be certain. But there is definitely some peppery heat that warms the back of the throat. Don’t take that as my inferring that this is too spicy, though, because it’s a moderate heat, there’s just a really pleasant gingery/peppery note to it.
The black tea is smooth and rich. It’s not quite as robust as I would have expected, but I like the smooth flavor and it’s nicely round. It’s a satisfying flavor. There’s not a lot of astringency to the tea. It’s really pleasant.
I found the pumpkin to be somewhat reserved a flavor at first. It wasn’t until I had consumed about 1/4th of the cup that I started to pick up on the sweet-savory pumpkin notes and at that point, they were rather delicate. As I continued to sip, the pumpkin notes developed and now I’m discovering more delicious pumpkin-y flavor.
This chai is a really delightful Halloween treat!
Pumpkin Chai Blend from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zoomdweebies
Tea Description:
This week’s tea is a new blend of Indian, Ceylon and Chinese whole leaf teas with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves, and organic pumpkin flavors. If this doesn’t get you in the mood for fall, nothing will.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I know that 52Teas was planning on working on a new black tea base to use with their black tea blends – I wonder if this is the blend? It’s a little difficult to judge a black tea blend when it’s in a chai because the spices tend to be the star of the show, so it will be difficult to give you a clear idea of what I think of this “new blend,” but I’ll do my best!
This is actually a really tasty cup. The black tea base is strong, smooth and robust. There is some astringency to it, but I’m not finding it to be overly astringent. It’s got a rich, full flavor.
But as I said in the first paragraph, the spices tend to be the star of the show when it comes to a chai and that’s certainly true here. I like the way the spices come through here – it’s spicy and warm. There’s a good balance of spice flavors: I taste all the components. I guess if I could change anything about the spices that have been used in this blend, I’d want just a tad more pepper. Maybe instead of using “whole peppercorns” – crack them so that more of the peppery aspect comes through. But, I like that there isn’t too much cinnamon or ginger. I like that I can taste the cardamom and cloves. Overall, I’m enjoying the way the spices present themselves in this blend.
And I like that I’m tasting pumpkin too! The pumpkin tastes sweet and has a certain savory element to it too, and I like the way the pumpkin and spices taste together.
This is good served straight but even better when served with a dollop of honey to bring out the flavor of the spices. If you want to go for a serious yum factor: go latte – the creaminess of the dairy adds something to the pumpkin to make it more pumpkin pie-ish.
