Let me just start by saying that this is one of my favorite teas. I love it soooo much!! Unfortunately it is not currently available on the 52 Teas website but if it is offered as a reblend make sure you stock up because this is ah. may. zing!
Alright, now that we got that out of the way we can discuss the awesome new method of enjoying this tea and so many others that I have learned of recently. What’s that method you ask? A latte! Not just any latte though…a CHOCOLATE MILK latte. Honestly, it is life-changing. So simple and yet I never thought of it until a tea friend mentioned it. It takes the latte to a whole new level. Try it. You won’t regret it!!
For instance, this particular tea, 52 Tea’s Peppermint Marshmallow Melting in Hot Chocolate is all the more true to its name when made this way, and I didn’t even think that was possible because even plain this completely tastes like its namesake. However, the heating of the chocolate milk and the mixing of that and the base tea gives a more dark chocolate vibe that elevates this to a richer and more sophisticated treat. That dark chocolate note intermingles wonderfully with the peppermint which comes off more crisp in comparison. It’s almost like a liquid After Eight but with the perfect amount of marshmallow fluffiness to add a pleasant lightness to the overall drink.
It truly is a revelation. That applies both to the tea itself and to chocolate milk lattes.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
No Obligations Decaf from Plum Deluxe. . .
My brother described the smell of this as “the inside of Bed Bath and Beyond… no, the other one. Bath and Body Works. That one. WITH THE SMELLS.”
The strong and enthusiastic odor of this blend is definitely one of its defining characteristics. It smells sweet, nutty, vanilla-like — which is, as it turns out, precisely what it is. It tastes like the illustrations from the original Candyland look: rounded and bright and lip-smacking.
Kids like playing Candyland. It’s easy to learn, it takes a while, and anyone can win. Everyone has a chance.
Like Candyland, this tea doesn’t live in the land of adults. Due to its sweetness and decaffeinated status, it is accessible to children, too! Share it with yours today.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black (Decaf)
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Given the state of world affairs, we thought you could use a good cup of something with no expectations attached — hence the aptly named No Obligations blend. We use a fresh, vibrant decaf Ceylon black tea for the base and add both hazelnut and almond extracts with some spiced cinnamon, a pinch of cocoa nibs, and a creamy vanilla.
The result is a cup that will wrap around you tighter than your granny’s arms. Sip and relax, knowing that you’re doing the best that you can and that taking a moment for yourself is always a great idea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Dark Obsession Chocolate Rose from MarieBelle. . . .
When I was younger, I preferred milk chocolate and found dark chocolate too bitter. The older I get, the more I love dark chocolate.
This tea was a gift from a family member, and it was so good that I put it on my wish list for the following year. Opening the tin and inhaling deeply, I could have sworn I was sniffing a box of rich, fine chocolates.
This brews up to a very adult cup of dark chocolate tea. I have had a few chocolate teas that (sadly) smell like mildew instead of chocolate, although they tasted all right. My husband hates the smell of those! But this one is pure dark chocolate aroma. I am reminded of a tisane I drank years ago that was made of pure cacao nibs and nothing else. The rose petals are more for eye appeal but there is a hint of rose flavor.
The website says that their two ounce tin makes about ten cups of tea. I always get more than that, and I find that most good quality teas can be steeped again. I usually make a steep and immediately resteep, combining the two together instead of drinking a weaker second steep by itself. This one does well for me and makes a very drinkable resteep.
I think this would be a great Valentine’s tea. Chocolate and roses – what could be more romantic?
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: MarieBelle
Description
Our Dark Obsession tea is a blend of loose leaf black ceylon tea exquisitely scented with chocolate extract and embellished with pink roses. A perfect pick me up to satisfy a sweet tooth!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
“Idris” Hot Chocolate Infused Chai from Calabash Tea. . . . .
A tea friend and I rather randomly ended up at Calabash Tea Bar & Cafe last time I was in D.C. The owner of this gorgeous cafe is an herbalist, so the blends focus on the medicinal value of tea, herbs, and spices. It started raining just as we got there, so we decided to settle in and stay a while. I’m so glad we did. We got to try several of their teas and both fell in love with this one (though really, who could resist Idris?). I ended up buying this and the anti-inflammatory Triple Goddess blend to take home.
I have brewed this tea a few times now. I always brew it hot – it just seems wrong to drink a chocolate chai iced. My favorite way to enjoy it is with a splash of chocolate almond milk, which turns this into a creamy chocolate bit of heaven in a cup. Even without any additions, the chocolate flavor is rich with a bit of the bite that dark chocolate has. The most dominant chai spice here is clove, but it is not overwhelming. I’m also picking up maltiness from the base tea, cinnamon, and a hint of citrus (though I am not at all certain that there is either cinnamon or anything citrusy in the blend). The clove, malt, and chocolate notes linger after the sip, with the clove lingering longest because of that tingling sensation clove can cause. This blend can be steeped a second time, though it loses the cocoa notes and comes out a tad watery. Some almond milk fixes that right up though.
Overall, this makes for a great fall tea that doesn’t require milk but does benefit from it.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Calabash Tea
Description
Add an extra dash of spice makes Calabash’s Hot Chocolate Chai a delight!. This organic chai is strong, spicy, sweet and unapologetic about waking you up for a lil’ lovin’ in your cup. INGREDIENTS: The highest quality Assam Black Tea, Cocoa Powder, Chai Spices, Chocolate Buttons & lots of love.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate Ginger Turmeric from Tiesta Tea. . .
I’ll be honest, tea friends– rooibos still gives me pause. Every time a red rooibos tea shows up at my front door, I’m skeptical– will it taste woodsy? Will it have that distinct rooibos… tang (?) that I’m just so very not-fond of? I’m not a total anti-rooibos crusader, but I am exceptionally picky about the red teas that I’ll let into my cuppa.
When this one showed up in a recent sample package, I was… skeptical, to say the least. But lo! Chocolate? Ginger? Turmeric? Those are three of my favorite things! Would they be enough to place this offering solidly in the “win” category? The answer, I’m so pleased to say– is YES.
This herbal is perfect for turmeric lovers– both the flavor AND that omnipresent, don’t-spill-on-your-cheap-apartment-countertops-for-fear-they-will-be-yellowed-forever signature color are here in spades. Balanced by a tiny hint of ginger and cinnamon spice lingering in the background and rounded out not necessarily by saccharine sweet chocolate, but rather nutty, dark notes from the cocoa shell– this blend is a winner. I’ve been particularly loving it with just a touch of frothed coconut milk on top, no sweetner needed– in a season that is often punctuated by stress, it’s been the perfect, caffeine-free treat for both slow mornings and nightly wind-downs alike. Fellow rooibos skeptics, give this one a try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tiesta Tea
Description
The perfect trifecta. When an ache or ailment comes creeping in, ginger and turmeric team up to kick it to the curb while chocolate follows closely behind to smooth everything over. With this unrivaled trio on your side, you’ll be invincible.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
