Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Rishi Tea
Tea Description:
Smooth, steamed green tea blended with tart hibiscus and succulent raspberries. This blend is sweet, jammy and rich with a character that lends itself to tasty hot or iced tea. Goes well with a squeeze of lemon or pomegranate juice.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Before taking a sip of this Organic Raspberry Green Tea from Rishi Tea, I found myself wishing there wasn’t so much hibiscus in it. The hue of the brewed tea is pink … a strong indicator of hibiscus in the blend!
But after taking a sip, I’m not minding the hibiscus so much. Because it was steeped for just 2 1/2 minutes, the hibiscus didn’t have a lot of time to become too tart. This doesn’t taste sour nor does it feel thick and syrupy (other indicators of hibiscus!)
This blend is tasty. The green tea is sweet and slightly vegetative. There are hints of a buttery note in the background. Because of the hibiscus in the blend, the raspberry notes are very prominent (hibiscus tends to take on a berry-like flavor). The raspberry tastes tart and sweet, and has a light berry tingle at the finish. The aftertaste is delicately tart with hints of sweetness.
A nice cuppa … I still would rather there be no hibiscus in it (what can I say, hibiscus isn’t my favorite thing), but, I have to admit that the pink color of the tea is kind of pretty. This would make a nice tea for a garden party, and it tastes good iced – and would make a nice alternative to those over-sugared sodas!
Loose Leaf Red Chai Rooibos Blend from Chico Chai
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Chico Chai
Chai Description:
African Red Tea (Rooibos) and exotic organic spices are hand-blended to create this naturally caffeine-free herbal chai. Blended in small batches, by hand in Chico, California. Only Organic Ingredients and Fair Trade Organic teas are used to make Chico Chai.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
This Loose Leaf Red Chai Rooibos Blend from Chico Chai is a really pleasing rooibos chai! What I’m really liking about this is that the base tastes very mild, allowing the spices to come through in a really warm and delicious way.
The first flavor I notice immediately is a licorice-y taste – Anise! Then notes of cinnamon and a slight peppery note come through. The other spices are more difficult to pick out … because they’ve melded together to offer a very unified sort of “spiced” taste. I like that … I like it when a chai just tastes “spicy” without it tasting like too much of one spice or another. There is a really enjoyable balance here.
Another thing that I’m LOVING about this rooibos chai is this creamy note that I taste just beneath the spices. The creaminess is something that I can’t ever recall tasting with other rooibos chai blends … and that’s what is setting this apart. That creamy note gives this an almost “latte” sort of taste without the milk, and it softens the edges of the spices too.
This tastes warm and cozy – like a big, comfortable blanket that keeps you warm when the weather’s cold outside. It’s the kind of flavor that you want to curl up to in front of a fire. It tastes sweet and spicy without any sweetener, but as with most other chai blends, I do prefer this with just a little bit of sweetener (I went with organic turbinado sugar!) – sweetener helps bring out the flavor of the spices just a bit, and I like how the sugar and spice create a cup that’s nice. (OK, a silly little rhyme, but I couldn’t resist it … sorry.)
A really awesome rooibos chai – and that’s coming from someone who is less than enthused about rooibos blends in general. This is something I’d happily drink daily!
Original Loose Leaf Chai from Chico Chai
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Chico Chai
Chai Description:
Fair Trade Organic black tea and exotic organic spices are hand-blended to create this spicy, aromatic tea. Blended in small batches, by hand in Chico, California. Only Organic Ingredients and Fair Trade Organic teas are used to make Chico Chai.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
As some of you may remember, I’ve already reviewed the strong brew original chai concentrate from Chico Chai, and I loved it. But sometimes, I want a cup of spicy tea without the latte … and that’s when a loose leaf tea like this Original Chai from Chico Chai comes in. This gives me the spicy flavor I’m craving without the heavy creaminess of a latte. Don’t get me wrong, I love that thick, rich, creamy taste of a chai latte. It’s yummy … but sometimes I just want spice without the milk.
Of course, you can easily turn this into a latte too by simply brewing it extra strong (add an extra teaspoon or two of the loose leaf to your teapot when you steep it) and then adding steamed milk to the brewed product. A frothing tool will add that light, creamy top of the latte that you’ll get in a coffee shop (and pay six bucks a pop for!) Or … if you really want to go traditional, you can prepare this “stovetop” by simmering the spices in a milk/water combination and straining the spices. That produces a really delicious chai … but it also produces a mess which is why I prefer to make my lattes brewing it strong in water, and then adding steamed milk to the brewed tea.
But … if you’re like me and like to enjoy a good, spicy cup of tea without the latte sometimes … this loose leaf Original Chai from Chico Chai is just the thing. It’s a really flavorful chai! Lots of spice to it – including a really nice touch of anise in there! I love that licorice-y taste! – but I like that I can also taste the rich, malty Assam in this blend too.
I like that the cinnamon does not overpower the cup, I taste the cinnamon, but I also taste the peppery edge from the ginger and black pepper. And the warmth of the cardamom and I think I even taste a hint of vanilla to this too … nice!
There is a hint of nutty nutmeg flavor in this, and I love it when a chai has nutmeg. I think it’s one of those very underused spices for chai … something that is often overlooked as a spice but something that adds such a wonderful dimension of flavor that it’s so awesome when I do find a chai that has nutmeg.
I think I should also take a moment to mention the tin that this chai was packaged in. It’s a double lidded tin, with a tight fitted inner lid that seals in all the spice. I really found myself appreciating this tin as I was opening it this morning, because as I was opening it, I found myself wondering why I hadn’t yet had my senses overwrought with the aroma of spice. The inner lid managed to seal in all the spices so that I couldn’t smell them until I got that lid open! I think that how tea is packaged is something that is often overlooked by some companies, but I like that Chico Chai thought about this when they selected their tins!
This chai has a really nice balance of spices that is deliciously warm without setting my palate on fire. This makes a perfect cuppa for cold, wet autumn days like this one! Have I mentioned lately that I’m glad that autumn is finally here?
Mate Chai from Chico Chai
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: Chico Chai
Chai Description:
Organic Yerba Mate is blended with fresh-ground spices to create a unique spicy tea.
Blended in small batches, by hand in Chico, California. Only Organic Ingredients and Fair Trade Organic teas are used to make Chico Chai.
Learn more about this chai blend here.
Taster’s Review:
After having such a positive experience with Chico Chai’s Strong Brew Concentrate, I really looked forward to trying some of their loose leaf offerings. Fortunately, the good people at Chico Chai sent me a “Chico Chai Sampler,” and let me just say I love this little box! It’s a small box that is just big enough to fit four small tins of tea – one of each of the chai blends that Chico Chai offers. This is an awesome way to sample each of the loose leaf chai blends from them. Everything is packaged beautifully … this is the kind of thing that I love getting in the mail! And it would make an excellent gift for the chai lover on your gift giving list, too.
The first of the loose leaf chai blends that I decided to try was the Mate Chai from Chico Chai, mostly because I really needed that vigorous SHAKE awake that Yerba Mate provides. I have been feeling sluggish today, like I could easily go back to bed and sleep another couple of hours, but, I’ve got stuff to do! I can’t nap the day away.
So, it’s Yerba Mate to the rescue!
This has a delightfully spicy fragrance, and what I like best about the aroma of this chai is that no one spice stands out amongst the others in this blend. I smell notes of all the components, and it smells like a mouth-watering medley of warm spice that evokes thoughts of chilly autumn days (they’re coming! they’re coming!)
I brewed the tea strong (using a little extra leaf) in near boiling water – I find that when I use boiling water for Yerba Mate, it results in a slightly bitter tasting mate. Drop the temperature to 195°F and you can brew this herb for ten minutes (or even longer) and I don’t taste any bitterness! I brewed it extra strong because I wanted a latte.
But, I did try it first without the “latte” … and while it was strong … it is a very flavorful chai! Lots of peppery spice … this chai is not for the weak! If you tend to cower at the idea of spicy heat … this chai is too much for you … but for those of you who like your chai to bite you when you take a sip … this is one you need to try!
As a latte, the spices are softened somewhat … that is, they aren’t quite as edgy as they were when I tried it straight up. But, there is still plenty of heat from this chai when served with a splash of warmed milk. The ginger and pepper are prominent, and I can feel their warmth develop at the back of my tongue and radiate to the top of my throat. It warms me so wonderfully … this is just what I need on a chilly day like today!
I like that while this chai seems to focus on the ginger and pepper, I can also taste the cinnamon, cardamom and the nutmeg. It’s sweet and spicy and earthy … and with the addition of the milk, it’s so nice and creamy too! It tastes really good served warm but it’s also delicious as it cools. (An iced chai latte, anyone?)
And the Yerba Mate did in fact help energize and WAKE me up! This chai gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me.
Poppy Fields Tisane from Indie Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi & Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tisane Description:
Tastes like jujubes
Sweet aroma of berries, apple and chamomile. Slightly sweet on the tongue, lightly minty with a tart finish. This tea is full-bodied and rich. Sip this tea and it will calm your body and relax your mind. ahhhhh.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
So, I’m a bit behind on my Amoda Tea reviews! This Poppy Fields Tisane from Indie Tea came in my July Tea Tasting Box, but, I’m just now getting around to reviewing it. What can I say, when it comes to tisanes … I always seem to be reluctant to try it!
But this is one of the prettiest teas I’ve seen in a long time! Big flower buds of chamomile, poppy and rose. And BONUS: No Hibiscus! Yay!
I was excited to see Tulsi as one of the ingredients in this tea (here, it was called “holy basil”) because I have enjoyed the tisanes with Tulsi that I’ve tried. I like the herbaceous, slightly minty, slightly spicy taste that Tulsi brings to a tisane.
In this tisane, the Tulsi offers subtle hints of the minty basil tones which are especially noticeable in the finish. I’m noticing more of a peppery warmth during the sip from the Tulsi than the cooling mint taste. But I like the way the Tulsi comes through in this blend, because there is a strong fruity character to this cup, and the spice gives it some added interest and depth.
The description from Amoda Tea suggests that this tastes like Jujubes … and I don’t know that what I’m tasting is Jujubes. I’ll be honest and mention though, that I’ve not had Jujubes since I was young. They were never really a favorite candy of mine (I didn’t like the way they stuck to my teeth). But I did like their bright, fruity taste, and while this tisane does have a fruity taste to it, I can’t say that this reminds me of that candy.
But it is sweet with lots of fruit notes: apple, orange, and hints of lemon. I don’t really taste a lot of ‘berry’ as mentioned in the description by Amoda, but, I do notice the tartness that lingers in the aftertaste. Given the sheer number of flowers in this blend, I did expect it to taste more floral than it does. It does certainly present a floral note to the palate, but, it’s a smooth, subdued floral taste rather than the sharpness that I often associate with floral tones.
Then again, everything about this particular blend is very calm and relaxed. The flavor is gentle and mild. It is a really tasty tisane … certainly better than I expected it to be given my hesitancy to actually try it. I like the fruity overtones, I like that it doesn’t taste overly herbaceous or medicinal, and I like that there is a pleasant warm yet sweet taste to it … without adding sugar.
As I mentioned in my review of The Road To Hana (also from Indie Tea) – a tea that also came from my Amoda Tea Box for July – I have already tasted and reviewed the third tea that came in my box: Lover’s Lane. I was really happy to see that Amoda Tea focused in on Indie Tea, because they are a company that I really like. They are a fun company with a youthful vibe … I like the jovial attitude they give their teas!
So this tea review gets me all caught up with my July reviews for Amoda Tea … and a good thing too, because I have August’s box waiting for me! I can’t wait to try the teas in that box from their featured blender: Tea Xotics … a company I’ve not yet tried! Yay!