Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
We created this selection specifically for use in samovars but it also works exceptionally well in traditional teapots. The tea has a dark cup, well-balanced character, and can be infused for a long period without becoming bitter. The flavor is of a classic medium-grown Ceylon with a smooth profile and hints of ripe apple.
Origin:
Sri Lanka
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Samovar Op-A Blend from Upton Tea Imports has a nicely sweet yet malty flavor that rests gently on the palate.
My immediate reaction is that the aroma was far more inciting them the flavor, at first I thought it rather bland, but as soon as that thought had left my mind I got those intensely sweet honeyed notes and a lovely blanket of malty goodness on my tongue!
As I spent more time with the tea shaking away that first impression I realized that the apple notes begin to sparkle and there is something of a sparkly sensation on the tongue.
I am not normally a big fan of Ceylon teas but this one has some elements that remind me of Darjeeling, and I like that a lot!
There is a very slight chocolate note to the tea, but very slight, it just has this backdrop which makes the taste more robust, thick even, and quite rich.
Then a raisin flavor comes forward as well.
I am glad I did not listen to that knee jerk reaction, as I would have been a jerk indeed had I dumped this cup!
This is one of the smoothes teas with absolutely not one bit of astringency or bitterness I have ever had!
I am glad now that I have enough for another steeping session for a later time, I expect to get many more steeps out of this leaf!
Chocolate Malt Flavored Honeybush from 52Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tisane Description:
This feels like cheating just a little. Yes, we did offer a Chocolate Malt Honeybush, but not as a Tea of the Week; it was one of our My Sweet Honeybush blends, and it wasn’t even offered on 52teas until a few months ago when I killed our My Sweet Honeybush brand and had a few left over. I’ve reinvented the blend with organic flavors and new ROASTED organic cacao nibs. (I spent several minutes just huffing the bag of roasted cacao nibs the other day when we received them. This blend is CHOCOLATE. No, it’s CHOCOLATE! I fully expect this week’s blend to disappear quickly (who doesn’t like chocolate?)
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I thought I had previously reviewed this Chocolate Malt Flavored Honeybush from 52Teas (when it was sold under the My Sweet Honeybush label) because it was really one of my favorite Honeybush blends that Frank has ever crafted. But, I couldn’t find the review … so I guess I didn’t review it!
I’ll remedy that right now!
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, this is easily one of my favorite honeybush blends from Frank … but truth be told, it’s probably one of my favorite honeybush blends from any vendor. The reason is simple: Chocolate! This is one of the best chocolate tisanes I’ve had … in fact, the only chocolate tisane that comes to mind that might top this is pure cacao nibs or … even better, pure cacao shells.
Frank does the chocolate right in this blend. (Remember some chocolate = good, more chocolate = better) He goes with the better approach and adds plenty of chocolate to this tisane. It is so rich and chocolate-y, and there is a distinct malt note to this that makes it seem as though I’m sipping on a chocolate malt … only this isn’t thick like a chocolate malt. It does have a creamy element to it, but obviously a real chocolate malt would be thicker, creamier … and ice creamier … but, this … is less fattening and quite satisfying even without the thick and creamy element of a chocolate malt. It makes a perfect dessert-y treat when you don’t want to indulge in the more caloric version of a chocolate malt.
And what I like best about this blend – the flavor of the honeybush melds perfectly with the flavors. The nutty sweetness of the honeybush accents the malt notes quite nicely … and I like that the flavor of the honeybush doesn’t really stand out. It is kind of subtle and in the background, allowing the flavor of chocolate to shine through.
This is really one of Frank’s best blends. If you’ve tried honeybush blends and have been less than impressed with them, I highly recommend trying this one … it might change your mind about honeybush! It is so yummy – a perfect treat for the chocoholics out there, too!
Shamrocks and Shenanigans from Della Terra Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
Top o’ the mornin’ to ya! It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day! Celebrate with our take on a delicious St. Pats Tea! Shamrocks for luck, and shenanigans for being an ornary little Leprechaun. Have fun! We have blended delicious, creamy vanilla mint with dark chocolate. An absolute treat.
Ingredients: Black tea, chocolate flavoring and bits, vanilla bits and flavoring, mint leaf and shamrock sprinkles
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Gad if only I had not just eaten two HUGE jalapenos with peanut butter! I could surely enjoy Shamrocks and Shenanigans from Della Terra Teas even more! However knowing that I did just eat those devil jalapenos and knowing I can still taste this delicious tea – you know it must be really very good!
This is a seasonal blend from Della Terra Teas so get it while you can! I know I sure miss my all time favorite seasonal blend from them – Eight Candles! I hope it will be back next year! Regardless this is a good one! It has a lovely vanilla backdrop to a minty and yet chocolatey yummness!
Love the cute little green shamrock sprinkles!
I realize this review will post after St. Patties Day but you may want to go check because Della Terra Teas always has amazing sales and since the holiday is now passed it very well could be discounted!
As I sip on this tea longer the burn from the jalapenos is subsiding and I am tasting more of the chocolate note, where before I was picking up more on the vanilla. This is a mild flavored tea which is comforting and sweet, but not overly so. I really like the chocolate note as it tastes very natural due to the use of cocoa nibs.
This tea is really making me want to give Della Terra’s Swiss Mountain a try! I can’t recall if I have tried it before. Its another chocolate mint tea – without vanilla from Della Terra. You can find that one here.
The mint in this tea is light but notable and a real tummy saver as well. I am sure I will be appreciating that later today!
So points for a good chocolate note, points for a lovely vanilla note, points for it not being overdone on the mint, and points for a good base that I can taste but allows the flavors to do their work since the flavors are somewhat relaxed and mellow.
This isn’t an end all be all in your face flavored tea that says POW but it is a very enjoyable cup when you want mint, vanilla, and chocolate, without feeling your having a typical dessert tea. It is more like an after dinner tea.
Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha Blend from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
This batch of Laoshan black is particularly malty and sweet, qualities drawn out by hand-crafted Minnesota wild rice and organic fair trade jasmine rice toasted in small batches. We add organic cacao nibs to give a darker and more comforting aftertaste, and a touch of Shui Jin Gui Wuyi oolong for its nutty caramel notes and savory aftertaste. All together, we think this new take on Genmaicha very much embraces the tea’s humble origins and stays true to the warm and satisfying nature of toasted rice tea.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! Wow! This Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha Blend from Verdant Tea is AMAZINGLY good!
OK, so, what do you think of when you think Genmaicha? Green Tea with rice, right? Well, forget everything you think you know about Genmaicha … because this totally unique blend from Verdant Tea challenges everything you thought you knew about Genmaicha.
Instead of using a green tea for a base of this “Genmaicha,” Verdant Tea chose a rich, malty Laoshan Black tea and added toasted jasmine rice. Then Verdant added a touch of Wuyi Oolong which lightens the Black tea a little while giving the overall cup a smooth texture. And then … just to make it absolutely irresistible to this chocoholic, Verdant Tea added cacao nibs! Yum yum yum!
And that’s really what this tea is reducing me to … murmuring “yum yum yum” as I sip it. It is so good … so darned good that I find it difficult to come up with wordsy prose to celebrate it … it summons my inner child with its sweet, toasty, chocolate-y, caramel-y delightful deliciousness.
But since I am writing a review … I’ll try to tell you what I’m tasting. The black tea in this blend is most prominent, and as I mentioned before, it is rich and malty. Not bitter. Having tried the Laoshan Black Tea from Verdant previously, I know that not all of the chocolate-y notes that are dancing on my palate are not due to just the cacao nibs. The Laoshan Black Tea has a pleasing chocolate-y note as well. The chocolate notes and caramel notes of this tea really take this blend to an “over the top” status … this is so delicious and decadent!
The Shui Jin Gui Wuyi Oolong (which I haven’t yet reviewed but my Sister Azzrian has) brings a touch of fruity character as well as a nutty undertone and a touch of caramel to the cup as well. The rice adds a delicious toasty taste to the cup as well as dimension to the nutty tones of the cup.
And then … as if this tea needed another reason to drink it … there is CACAO NIBS in it … which means MORE chocolate. And you all remember my chocoholic’s equation, right? Some chocolate = good and more chocolate = better. This blend takes it right to BETTER with more chocolate!
This is just totally yum. I am sad now that I only purchased the sample size of this because I know I’m going to be craving it!
Chocolate Delight Black Tea Blend from Just Add Honey
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Tea
Where to Buy: Just Add Honey
Tea Description:
warm, earthy, and decadent, this tea densely aromatic and flavorful black tea combined with cocoa beans, vanilla, barley, and yogurt bits produces a hearty and balanced cup that feels like an indulgence. best enjoyed with milk to enhance the notes of both the tea and cocoa.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The first time I brewed this Chocolate Delight Black Tea Blend from Just Add Honey, I did so without reading the website description or the ingredient list, and I did not realize that this was yet another black tea blend from Just Add Honey that also included green tea (a genmaicha, it would appear!) so I brewed this as I would a usual black tea – using boiling water.
And prepared this way, it doesn’t taste bitter. It tastes rich and chocolate-y! It tastes YUMMY! That said, I don’t taste any real “green tea notes” here, or even anything that would indicate to me that there is genmaicha in this blend. I taste a rich black tea base with a strong chocolate essence. There is a distinct creaminess to this cup (courtesy of not only the chocolate but also the yogurt!) I do taste the barley and it definitely accents the chocolate, giving it a depth and an almost “malty” kind of richness.
Now that I’m more than halfway through the cup, I notice an earthy roasty-toasty-ness to the cup … which I guess can be attributed to the genmaicha (after all, it is a roasty-toasty kind of tea!) but that could also be attributed to the barley. I have to admit that I REALLY like this, just the way it is, even if I’m not tasting much of the green tea’s contribution to the cup. When it comes to chocolate, I mean, what can I say? Tasting the chocolate is of utmost importance, and because I can taste it here – and I’m really liking what I’m tasting! – I’m a happy chocoholic!
Given how good this is prepared using boiling water for 2 1/2 minutes, I was rather reluctant to brew a second pot using a more gentle method for the green tea. But I did … for no other reason than for the purposes of this review. And I have to admit that while I do taste more of the green tea, more of that sweet, vegetal flavor from the green tea … I do not like it better than I did the first pot of tea when I tasted more of a rich, earthy, deep chocolate flavor. This cup is lighter and less chocolate-y, and when it comes right down to it, for me, it’s all about the chocolate!
So, if you do decide to try this chocolate tea (and you should!) try brewing it both ways to see which way suits your fancy … and let me know what you think!