Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
For the first time, the bold, aromatic flavors of coffee are introduced to our smooth South Indian black tea. This marriage is celebrated with spicy cocoa and creamy yogurt chips, surprising our senses and delighting anyone who thought they would never savor the best of both worlds. Incredible hot.
South Indian Flower Orange Pekoe Black Tea, Ground Coffee, Cocoa Powder, Yogurt Chips, Creme Brulee Flavor
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s customized subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I think that I should have read the description and the ingredients in this Cocoa Cream Black Tea before I added it to my subscription with Simple Loose Leaf – it has ground coffee in it! Yikes! I don’t drink coffee because it tends to make me upset to my stomach, and I’m hoping that this tea has enough polyphenols in it to buffer the effects of the coffee!
When I opened the pouch, I was blown away at how much it smelled like coffee! Again, I smelled the tea before I read the description, so, I thought it was a little weird to be smelling coffee in a chocolate-y tea. Then I saw the ingredient list on the package and saw “Coffee Grounds” listed. Yep … that’s why I smell coffee! Fortunately, I really like the smell of coffee.
And I can definitely taste the coffee too. The coffee flavor is – disappointingly – stronger than the chocolate notes, and I was hoping that the coffee grounds were added to enhance the chocolate flavors, but it seems to me that it’s obscuring them. I can still taste chocolate; however, the coffee is stronger. I don’t taste a whole lot of “creme” from the yogurt or the creme brulee flavoring although I do taste a hint of sour/tangy from the yogurt. I do taste a slight creaminess, but again, I feel like it’s being overpowered by the coffee.
Even the black tea notes are dominated by the coffee notes. The coffee seems to have vanquished every other flavor in this cup, and while I do taste subtle notes of the other flavors, the coffee permeates every sip strongly. I would like for the coffee to be a more subtle flavor. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
I was lured in by the name of the tea: Cocoa Creme. I mean, it sounds amazing, doesn’t it? I mean, as a chocoholic, why wouldn’t I want to try a tea called Cocoa Cream? But I think that this tea suffers from a misnomer. It should be called MOCHA Creme.
So far, I have tried three teas from Simple Loose Leaf with this subscription order, and this is the first one that I found disappointing. I’m still not disappointed in the service … but this tea is just simply not up to par with the other two I’ve tasted.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Indian Spice Green Tea Infused Sipping Broth from Millie’s Savory Teas
Product Information:
Leaf Type: Green
About This Product:
A snappy blend of curry, spices and green tea. Tastes like your eating at your favorite Indian curry restaurant.
To Learn more about this Millie’s Savory Teas, click here.
To Subscribe to Love with Food, click here.
Taster’s Review:
In my September Love with Food box, I received not one but two new-to-me savory teas from Millie’s Savory Teas to try, including this Indian Spice Green Tea Infused Sipping Broth. Even though I was a little disappointed with the Tomato Basil variety of Millie’s Savory Teas, I still found myself excited at the prospect of trying a couple more of these tea infused sipping broths.
And much to my surprise, I like this Indian Spice flavor much better than I liked the Tomato Basil. I love Tomato, so I expected that to be the one I liked best, but I think that the Indian spices work much better in this tea infused sipping broth concept.
The aroma of the dry “bag” is that of curry, but I also taste the smell of “bouillon” too. You know the smell of the bouillon cubes? Yeah, I smell that salty/savory scent of bouillon. And this broth … is a little on the salty side (don’t salt it before you taste it!) but it isn’t too salty for my taste. I taste a hint of carrot and onion to this too.
It still tastes more like broth than it does green tea … but I can taste more of the green tea here than I did in the Tomato Basil. What’s more, I’m finding this broth to be so soothing and comforting. I think this would make an ideal light meal … perhaps with a piece of fruit.
This sipping broth gets a thumbs up from me. This is one I might buy again!
Assam Smoked Oolong Tea from Grey’s Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Grey’s Teas
Tea Description:
Having a big, tippy, curly leaf, this is a most unusual and aromatic oolong from India’s northern Assam region. It is produced using the semi fermented oolong process and is smoked with an oak-like wood, unlike the pinewood used for lapsang souchong. Its aroma is unique. Brew for three minutes and drink without milk. Once tried, forever besotted!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I could smell the smoke in this Assam Smoked Oolong Tea from Grey’s Teas the moment I opened the pouch. But what I liked is that the smoke … didn’t overwhelm me. I didn’t get that “off-putting” sort of feeling when I smelled the tea … and that often happens when I encounter a really strongly smoked tea. I like that I can definitely tell that this is smoked, but it’s not an assault on my olfactory nerves.
And this is a really interesting cup of tea! I brewed this tea the way I usually brew an Oolong – in my gaiwan, using short steeps – and my first cup is the combination of infusions 1 and 2 (following a quick 15 second rinse).
The sip starts out with an immediate introduction to the smoky notes. But I can also taste the fruity qualities of this dark Oolong, and together with the smoky notes, it almost tastes as though a plum and a peach were smoked in a pit. It’s a very unique flavor.
And I can also taste floral notes … and with the smoky tones, it almost tastes as though flowers were smoked with those stone fruits. This tastes unlike any other tea I’ve ever tasted. The smoky tones are extraordinary in themselves, because this doesn’t taste like the typical “smoked” tea … the flavor is deeper, richer … more like the fire from a hearth rather than a campfire.
The second cup (infusions #3 and 4) brought a more unified taste. There is less distinction between the different flavors. I taste a little bit of sweet and savory. The smoky notes are prominent. The fruit tones are sweet and sour and the smoky tones are savory and even hint at some bitter notes, with hints of sweet, exotic flower in the distance. This cup is very smooth and has very little astringency to it. It has a very pleasant, soft mouthfeel.
As I brewed the third cup, I sort of expected some of the smoky tones to wane, but the smoke remains! It softens somewhat … but it really surprised me just how long the flavor stays with this tea.
If you’re one of those who love a good, smoky tea – you really should try this Assam Smoked Oolong from Grey’s Teas! I’m not a huge smoky tea fan … but I really enjoyed this, and it surprised me at how long the smoky tones lasted. It’s a really enjoyable and very flavorful tea!
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?
Darjeeling Blend from Harney & Sons
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Tea Description:
High in the mountains, deep in the mists that surround the Himalayas is Darjeeling: “Queen of Teas”. Our Darjeeling tea is a blend of First Flush and Autumnal teas from the best gardens. This mixture yields a light color in the cup – a fragrant “nose”. A great value.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I received a sample sachet of this Darjeeling Blend from Harney & Sons with my most recent order from them – I was very happy to receive not just one but two samples with my order – especially since the last time I placed an order with them, I didn’t get any samples! I’m glad to see that they’ve resumed their practice of including samples with every order.
And this is a really enjoyable blend of Darjeeling teas. According to the description (above) this is a combination of first flush and autumnal harvests. The aroma of the dry leaf was slightly woody with fruity overtures, notes of earth and hints of flower. All those notes translate in the brewed tea flavor.
The fruity tones are what I notice first, notes that are vaguely reminiscent of grapes and currants. Sweet and a little tangy. This is not quite as astringent as some Darjeeling teas that I’ve tasted, this has a much smoother, rounder finish. Once the sweetness of the fruit subsides on the palate, the notes of earth and wood peek through, and there is just a whisper of floral notes in the distance.
A pleasant, complex cup. While I generally prefer a second flush Darjeeling, I am enjoying this blend, it is certainly tasty, and is priced right! A nice, well-rounded cuppa.