Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Tea Description:
This unique herbal tea blends chocolate flavors with aromatic lavender and cool peppermint for a sophisticated cup. Add a touch of sugar and a splash of milk for a delightful dessert tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
With all of the hustle and bustle that inevitably happens at this time of year I find it helpful to have some tasty herbals and tisanes on hand to help unwind at the end of the day. I want to enjoy all the flavors of the holidays, but I need to watch my caffeine intake so I can sleep. Otherwise I turn into a grumpy ol’ Scrooge, and nobody wants that! Christmas in Paris has been a very nice end of the day treat that’s caffeine free and delicious as well.
The main flavors in this tisane are cocoa and peppermint. The cocoa note comes from cocoa shells and is slightly dark, but is not bitter in any way. The peppermint is clean, a little sweet, and is well balanced against the cocoa. The other two flavors, vanilla and lavender, are more subtle, but they turn this into a lovely drink. The lavender is most apparent as the cocoa note fades, but it also compliments the chocolaty flavor so well. After having this tisane I really want to try dark chocolate sprinkled with lavender. I’m thinking that would be seriously delicious! The lavender in this drink isn’t overly floral. It’s more of a sweet and bright addition rather than a highly floral one. The vanilla is very soft and almost hidden by the other flavors, but it does add a bit of a creamy note which is very pleasant.
I found that this drink is enhanced by the addition of sugar. I didn’t add cream or milk, but I think a slight amount would be nice. More than a splash will most likely cause the lavender flavor to be too subtle, so use a tiny amount and add more if desired.
Christmas in Paris is a very nice tisane that’s worth a try this holiday season. It’ll help keep your holiday spirits up without keeping you up. Enjoy!
Raspberry Chocolate from TeaGschwender
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: TeaGschwender
Tea Description:
In this classic combination, tangy raspberries contrast with decadently creamy chocolate.
Ingredients: Black teas from China, Sri Lanka and India, rooibush tea, cocoa bits, natural and artificial flavor, raspberry pieces.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Raspberry Chocolate from TeaGschwender is an aromatic wonder! How the senses are livened up by fresh juicy raspberry almost tingling and making the nose feel sparkly if that makes sense, to the deep aroma of chocolate it its natural form – its amazing! The berry notes in this tea are perfection and the chocolate smells like a very nice quality one at that! I am a bit of a chocolate snob so I am impressed by the aroma alone!
Yes it almost smells too good to drink, almost!
The flavor does not disappoint! The raspberry notes are bright and cheerful, not too tart, not too sweet, just like ripe, fresh, juicy raspberries! The chocolate is delicious! As I said I am a chocolate snob, I prefer high quality thus usually expensive chocolate. I can’t stand a tea that has artificial chocolate flavor, like that dollar store chocolate you can get around easter to fill a basket..YUCK!
The tea steeps nicely leaving a lovely aroma in the home, and is again, another perfect holiday or any day tea. I would say this is a dessert tea but I imagine adding some cream would be simply sinful!
The mouthfeel however is surprisingly light, not very robust at all considering the heavier chocolate flavor. This I bet would also be amazing iced or cold steeped!
Another winner from TeaGschwender! Its no surprise but very delightful indeed!
Dark Chocolate Orange from Sands of Thyme
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Sands of Thyme
Product Description:
Ingredients: black tea Assam, cocoa bits, orange bits, natural flavor, cardamom, pink pepper
Tasters Review:
I’m always up to try Orange Chocolate ANYTHING!! I’m originally from the Buffalo, NY, area and Orange Chocolate is HUGE in Buffalo! When I moved from that area several years ago many people I spoke to regarding my love of orange chocolate had never even heard of it before! I was AMAZED at this fact! I still am today! So…if you have never tried orange chocolate before PLEASE do – at least once in your life!
Anyhow…When I received an assortment of teas from Sands of Thyme I HAD to try this one first!
This smells much like Orange Chocolate right out of the package. Once infused add spices to that aroma and that is what you have here! It’s medium brown in color – post infusion.
This tastes like Orange Chocolate and cardamom. It’s a really good taste. It’s not heavy on the dark chocolate aspect but that won’t interrupt me from enjoying this tasty cup of tea! Ahhhhh!
