Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Honeybush
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tisane Description:
Looking for a taste of Canada? Try this red rooibos tea. It’s sweetened with (what else?) maple syrup and sprinkled with delicious maple leaf candies. Plus it’s 100% diplomatic (well, caffeine-free) and tastes great in both our official languages. With green rooibos, honeybush, caramel and toffee bits to shake things up. A truly authentic Canadian experience.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The brewed tisane smells scrumptious! It smells like a pancake breakfast and it’s making my mouth water!
To steep: I used my Kati Tumbler and added 1 1/2 bamboo scoops to the basket of the tumbler. Then I added 195°F water to the tumbler and allowed the tisane to steep for 10 minutes.
And it tastes a little bit like a pancake breakfast too. The nutty notes from the rooibos and honeybush add a “pancakey” like flavor to the rich maple-y notes of the flavoring. The toffee and caramel notes enhance the sweetness (this is a very sweet pancake breakfast, mmm-kay?)
But really, even though I’m getting notes of rooibos, honeybush, toffee and caramel, this tisane is really about the maple! Sweet, delicious maple. Not like the weird corn syrup with maple flavoring. This has a real maple-y flavor to it. It’s sweet and luscious!
If you’re a fan of maple, this is a tisane you should try. It has a very dessert-y quality (obviously) so it would make a tasty low-cal/non-fat substitute for dessert or a great treat for the sweet tooth late night craving! And it’s naturally caffeine free!
Whisky White Tea from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Product Description:
Love unwinding with a glass of whisky after a long work day? Here’s a version you can sip at the office all day long. With white Bai Mu Dan, sweet pieces of peach, macadamia nuts, and a big hit of smoky whisky flavour, this rich blend might just replace the bottle of bourbon you have stashed in the back of your desk. Of course, spiking it with an extra splash of whisky wouldn’t hurt.
Taster’s Review:
I am not a big fan of liquor in general, but, I do find myself rather fascinated with liquor flavored teas like this Whisky White Tea from David’s Tea.
The scent of the brewed tea has a very strong whisky scent and the flavor is remarkably smooth. Overall, it’s a very delicate cuppa, from the soft Bai Mu Dan base, to the hint of whisky flavor, and a whisper of peach and sweet nutty undertones. I like that I can taste each of these components distinctly, and yet everything is very light and refreshing and nicely balanced.
This is really delicious served hot or on the rocks. This is an excellent way to unwind after a hard day at work … even while you’re still at work!
Chocolate Chili Chai from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Product Description:
Is winter giving you the shivers? Try this fiery southwest chai. A blend of black tea, chocolate and Ancho and Aleppo chilis, it gives new meaning to the term “hot chocolate.” But despite sweet roasted corn and lily petals, it’s not for the faint of heart. Spicy notes and an extra-hot finish mean you should only drink it if you love to feel the heat – otherwise, you’d better get out of the kitchen.
Taster’s Review:
When I think “chai,” I think masala chai blends which usually consist of the basics: ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. There are sometimes variations to the basics, and sometimes other ingredients are added, but these are the four main ingredients that come to mind when I think chai. Now, granted, chai actually means “tea” so, you can have a plain Ceylon and it would be a chai, but, for me, chai has come to mean a spiced tea.
This tea forces me to re-think my ideas about chai, because there is no cinnamon, ginger, cardamom or cloves here, and yet it is called a chai. And to be honest, even though this is a bit different than what I would expect from a chai, it is really good. REALLY good!
The chocolate is the strongest flavor here, and that’s quite alright with this chocoholic. It tastes sweet and creamy and rich. But what is really nice is how the zesty spice from the chili cuts through some of the sweeter notes of the chocolate, providing a really nice contrast in flavors for the palate to enjoy.
The chili does not hit the palate immediately. The sip starts as a rather smooth-tasting sip, it doesn’t taste really spicy/hot. About mid-sip, the chili comes to life! It starts out as a warm, chili pepper kind of taste, not too hot, but gradually getting warmer. By the time the finish hits, the pepper really kicks in – never getting what I would consider to be too hot, but it is definitely a kick of chili spice. The aftertaste is that of spicy chili pepper, again not too hot, but there is a light, slow burn in the back of the throat.
The black tea seems to come secondary here, and that is a little disappointing, but it is hard to express too much disappointment with a tea that I’m enjoying so much. I love the chocolate and chili flavor here. The black tea is distinguishable, but it isn’t a terribly strong black tea flavor. I would love to see what a stronger, bolder tea leaf might do to this blend of chocolate and chili (perhaps a solid Assam?) As it is, though, I really like this; even without the basic chai spices, even with the lighter tea flavor. The chocolate and chili is so delicious!
NOTE: While writing this review, I noticed that this particular tea is not featured on the David’s Tea website. I suspect that this is because this is a winter/seasonal blend, and I do hope that it will return when winter returns! It’s a wonderfully warming blend!
Buttered Rum from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Product Description:
Hot buttered rum is so delicious we want it all day long. Unfortunately, most employers frown on workplace drunkenness, so we came up with this rich and creamy alternative. Toasted coconut and vanilla beans mingle with black tea in a caramelized caress of flavours. Decadent hot or iced, it also blends perfectly with dark rum, brown sugar and a dash of milk – so go ahead and indulge your inner pirate, off the clock.
Taster’s Review:
This tea has been at the top of the Steepster ratings for some time now, so I figured it was high time that I try it! And I’m really glad I did.
This is really good. The rum comes through nicely, especially at the start. As I continue to sip on this cup, I find that some of the other flavors make their way through, although I can still taste the rum notes… they are just not quite as dominate as they were at the beginning. The coconut is one of the nicest additions to this – it gives the cup a delicious sweetness and creaminess, and I like the way it melds with the rum flavor.
The “buttered” aspect is very slight in the beginning, but by about mid-cup, the flavor has developed nicely. In fact, I am finding it to be the dominating presence now, perhaps because it has united with the vanilla and coconut. By the time I’ve finished with the cup, I find that the cup is actually quite heavy in texture, coating the palate with a creamy- buttered presence.
If I were to offer any complaint about this tea at all, it would be that the black tea isn’t a strong presence in this cup. I think that if it were a slightly stronger tea (an Assam, perhaps?) it might have a bit of cleansing astringency which would make the finish a bit cleaner. But, then again, I actually quite enjoy the heavy creaminess of this tea. It is such an indulgent pleasure, but a guiltless one! The best kind!
The Skinny from DavidsTea
Tea Type:
Oolong Tea/Pu-erh Tea Blend
Where To Buy:
DavidsTea
Product Description:
Did you just eat and eat and eat? And then eat some more? 2000 years of ancient Chinese wisdom suggest you try this organic blend. It contains oolong and pu’erh teas, both reputed to speed your metabolism and block fat absorption after a heavy meal. Plus it’s got ginger and ginseng, two more traditional metabolism uppers. So go ahead, drink up. The only thing you’ll gain is wisdom.
Tasters Review:
The Skinny from DavidsTea really took me by surprise! I ended up really liking it! Here’s the SKINNY on this tea from DavidsTea…
This tea takes a while to infuse before the true color appears. Dry…I thought this first smelled like Orange Cream and then I thought it was more of a Fruit loops/Orange aroma. Post infusion – it smells more like a woodsy/orange. The taste is flatter than I thought it would be. I would say more Oolong than anything else and then a share of orange taste. I can’t really taste the Pu-erh, Ginseng, or Ginger much…which is ok with me but maybe not-so-good for those specifically looking for those ingredients, I suppose.
Overall the taste of this one is pretty good! As far as me liking this tea – I do enjoy it – much more than I expected! It’s a goodie!
