Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
This week’s blend is a special blend of premium Japanese genmaicha, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove and black pepper. Our genmaicha blends always go fast, so don’t delay.
Learn more about this chai blend here.
Taster’s Review:
AWESOME! I’ve had one or two chai blends made with genmaicha before, but, I think that this one may just be the best I’ve had. The spices are perfectly blended with the green tea in this GenmaiCHAI Green Tea Blend from 52Teas … it’s not so overly spiced that all I taste is spice … I get a really delicious, roasty-toasty, nutty, genmaicha taste too. This is so yummy!
The genmaicha and the spices are really balanced well with this blend. It is warmly spiced – not quite “spicy-hot” but it certainly does pack a well-spiced punch! I taste cinnamon right up front and then again right at the finish and in the aftertaste. The ginger and black pepper give it a peppery taste that dances on the palate … but this isn’t overly peppered. I like that these two ingredients were not overdone in this blend.
The cardamom and cloves give this a spicy-sweet essence that is very exotic, and I think that because the genmaicha is a lighter flavor than the typical Assam tea that is found in most chai blends, I taste MORE of the cardamom and cloves than I typically would in a chai blend that is crafted with a black tea. I like this difference.
And then there is the genmaicha! It is sweet, toasty, and nutty. There is the slightest intonation of vegetation in this cup, it is a soft flavor but the palate does pick it up. This isn’t as obviously “genmaicha-y” as a straight genmaicha would be, of course, and since it is a chai blend, I don’t suppose you would expect it to be, would you? The genmaicha does fill out the background flavors nicely though, and I love that sweet nuttiness that the cup has … it pairs with the spicy notes really nicely!
Overall, I’m really enjoying this tea … so much so that the cup is nearly empty! A deliciously different twist on chai!
Premium Taiwanese Assam from Butiki Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black, Assam
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
Our Premium Taiwanese Assam is sourced from Yuchih Township in Nantou County, Taiwan. Assam bushes were brought to Taiwan in the early twentieth century but have since been refined by the Taiwan Research and Extension Station. The long dark chocolate-colored leaves produce a sweet fruity aroma. This malty tea has rich chocolate notes with notes of cinnamon, clove, and raisins.
Ingredients: Taiwanese Black Tea
Recommended Brew Time: 3 minutes
Recommended Amount: 2 teaspoons of tea for 8oz of water
Recommended Temperature: 212 F (boiling)
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Premium Taiwanese Assam from Butiki Teas is one of my favorite black teas. The leaves of this tea are stunning! Twisty and wirey with almost a blue tone hue to them.
Some of you who read my updates on steepster may have already read a portion of this as I am using a part of my review from there.
The steeped cup is a lovely deep golden amber tone and smells of sweet potato and chocolate. This cup is DELICIOUS! If you are not used to really high quality amazing tea like this just understand – this is not your mother’s or grandmother’s Lipton tea! Haha, my grandmother, bless her heart would drink that instant powdered tea daily, you know the stuff that came in the glass jar with the green lid. Today it is probably in plastic but regardless – this is a true delight and anyone who is even considering trying a different black tea should give this one a go!
There is a very sweet aspect to the tea, it has notes of sweet potato pie, even a bake-y element to it but it is not that sweet – not like as if someone spooned sugar into the cup – just a very natural sweetness. There are strong notes of chocolate and also notes of honey. A very rich cup yet the mouthfeel is bright and cheery. It is not too heavy or syrupy.
The only regret I have is that I did not try this tea sooner. It has become one of my stash favorites. It has a permanent home in my tea cabinet.
There is a slight very light note of cinnamon or some kick of spiciness here but nothing that would cause those who are spice shy to shy away from. There is also a bit of a saffron note!
As the tea cools a bit it does become slightly thicker with a heavier mouthfeel and notes of maple syrup begin to peek through.
I know it sounds like I am talking about a dessert not a tea yet this is not a dessert tea but rather a wonderful black tea that anyone would love!
The only downside I have found to this tea is that when steeping western style, it does not re-steep very well. However if you opt for gong fu style steeping it holds up to many steeps giving you layers of wonderful notes to discover cup by cup.
Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
The aroma of this intensely rich Yunnan black is immediately reminiscent of one of our favorite chocolate’s of all time: the Rogue Chocolatier Hispaniola bar, made with a tangy and nuanced cacao from the Dominican Republic. Imagine a fine dark chocolate melted down and infused with hibiscus. That is the aroma of this tea. It is so rich and fruity it even reminds us of a fine, light roasted coffee.
NOTES: Velvet, Chocolate, Cayenne, Clove, Cinnamon, Molasses, Cream
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Some teas tend to learn toward a specific season for me. Such as Chai which I always prefer in the fall and winter seasons. Or berry teas which I prefer in the spring and summer seasons. What I love about Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea from Verdant Tea is that it suits me perfectly in any season!
The aroma of this tea is always inviting, with notes of baked goods, hay, molasses, malt, and even berry!
It has a rich full mouthfeel yet a savory element in the flavor profile that boarders right on the spicy side of life. I can’t think of many unadulterated teas that have so much complexity. From sweet to savory, spicy to fruity. Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea from Verdant has it all.
The initial sip gives off notes of chocolate, molasses, and malt, with a spicy kick near the end. The aroma helps you pick up those initial sweeter notes and takes your mind on a baked goods trip, so when the spice elements present themselves it is somewhat of a surprise.
The creaminess of the tea is mostly in the mouthfeel and texture of this tea rather than in the flavor although there is a creamy flavor element as well, that note is more taken over by the spice at the end. You have to notice the creamy flavor in the beginning of the sip.
The spice notes in this tea are not like that of a chai, so don’t let the flavor notes listed above of clove and cinnamon scare you if you are not in favor of spicier teas. I personally pick up more of the cayenne kick rather than cinnamon or clove, and it is only on the tail end of the sip and does not burn or create heat in the mouth. Its just more of a wonderful gentle wake up note that kicks your taste buds and mind into gear. A perfect morning tea!
The berry notes I detect are not listed in the flavor profile of this tea but I get a dark berry and raisin flavor when I swish the tea around my palate.
This is one of my favorite morning teas which is also quite excellent when cooled or iced! Perfect anytime of the year.
Tiger Chai from Kally Tea
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Kally Tea
Chai Description:
Traditionally Chai is brewed by adding milk/cream and a sweetener. The spicy complexity of this libation is just as delicious brewed as a regular beverage without any dairy or sweetener. Try it both ways to discover your favorite way to enjoy.
Learn more about this masala chai blend here.
Taster’s Review:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
And what better way to ring in this chilly, wintery New Year’s Day than with a warm, rich, delicious spiced Chai tea? I absolutely love a good, spiced Chai blend. This is definitely a yummy Chai, and nothing seems to warm me up from the inside out quite as effectively as a warm spiced tea like this one.
The black tea base is rich and slightly caramel-y with notes of malt, which leads me to believe that it is either an Assam or an blend of teas that includes an Assam. It has a very full-flavor, and it is a substantial enough tea to be able to stand up on its own while it is surrounded by the flavors of robust spices.
The spices are sensational! Warm and spicy, but not so spicy that I’d consider this to be spicy-hot. It is what I’d call “spicy” … but it isn’t so much so that I feel the need to temper the spices with the addition of milk – and even though this Chai does make an incredible latte – I rather like it when brewed simply in boiling water for four minutes with no other additions except a half a teaspoon of turbinado sugar to help enhance the spices.
It’s rich and warm and satisfying, and very comforting too, with a smooth creaminess thanks to the little touch of vanilla in the blend. And I think that it is the touch of vanilla in this blend that makes it so comforting and smooth … without the addition of milk.
I taste the black pepper and the ginger here, and these are the two “stand out” spices in the masala blend, but I wouldn’t say that this is a peppery chai, really. The other spices are strong enough to mellow the peppery notes out a little, and give the overall cup some balance. I taste the cinnamon, I taste the clove, and I taste the cardamom. It is a warming, delicious blend that I think everyone can enjoy – it is spicy enough for those who like a warm, spicy chai, but, it isn’t so spicy that those who tend to shy away from spicy-hot drinks would not be able to enjoy it.
A very lovely chai – from one of my favorite tea companies! I wish everyone a very happy and wonderful new year!
Glitter and Gold from David’s Tea
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
This deep dark Chinese tea is like a gorgeous starry night, glimmering with gold and silver sugar crystals that shimmer as they steep. Take a sip and the slow suggestion of cinnamon will warm your body. Your toes will tingle and your mind will turn to fireworks, falling stars, late-night seduction. It’s basically magic. (Is it getting hot in here, or is it just the tea?)
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This tea is really fun! The dry leaf has lots of sparkly appeal – it is sprinkled with bright gold sugar spheres and glittery sugar crystals. These bits melt when the tea is brewed to sweeten the tea … but what’s even cooler is that the tea SHIMMERS. If you look at it you can see little twinkling sparkles in the brewed tea! At first, I didn’t think I’d be too keen on having a tea with a luster like this, but, now that I actually SEE its glistening beauty, I must admit, it’s really cool looking.
And it tastes good too. This is what I’d call an understated cinnamon tea … with so many cinnamon-orange flavored black teas out there that are really heavily spiced with cinnamon to the point of tasting like liquified red-hots, this tea instead allows for the sweeter, softer side of cinnamon to be experienced.
I like that it is sweet, but not too sweet. I like that it has a warmly spiced character, but it isn’t bombarding my palate with overwhelmingly strong cinnamon flavors. I like that I can taste each component to this tea: I taste the cinnamon, the clove, the vanilla, and the orange … as well as the black tea. These flavors all come together in a nicely rounded tea. Very enjoyable, indeed!