Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Decaffeinated)
Where to Buy: Arbor Teas
Tea Description:
Finally, our customers that only drink decaffeinated tea can indulge in a chai latte! This Fair Trade Certified Masala Chai Organic black tea blend has a medium-body with exceptionally spicy flavor and aroma. Surprisingly similar to our caffeinated version of Masala Chai (and offered at the same price!) our Organic Decaf Masala Chai Black Tea uses a broken leaf grade black tea (BOP) blended with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. In contrast to our caffeinated version, we amped up the pepper for a slightly hotter mouth feel. The clove and ginger really come through, with a wonderful cardamom finish. As with all our decaf teas, this tea is decaffeinated using a state-of-the-art carbon dioxide (CO2) decaffeination process that does not involve the use of harmful chemicals. We recommend steeping a triple-strength cup of this organic Indian tea and serving it with honey and steamed milk.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Another decaffeinated tea that surprises me!
Truly, I have had fewer decaffeinated teas that I have not enjoyed versus those that I found to be very good (or better than very good, like this one!) but yet, the memory of those few that I disliked remain to taint my initial reaction to decaffeinated tea. Those thin-tasting decaffeinated teas with chemical aftertastes still haunt me. Fortunately, this decaffeinated chai from Arbor Teas is neither thin in taste nor does it have that icky chemical aftertaste. This is actually so good, I find it hard to believe that it’s decaffeinated!
As mentioned in the above description from Arbor Teas, there is a bit more of a peppery bite to this one compared to the pepper level that I recall from Arbor Teas’ caffeinated version. In that review, I had mentioned that the pepper stood out, and here, it stands out a bit stronger, but without tasting over-peppered. Instead, the pepper seems to meld quite nicely with the flavors of the other spices. There isn’t too much ginger or cinnamon here, which is also a plus given the fact that with so many chai blends seem to rely too heavily on the cinnamon or ginger to deliver their spicy impact. Not that it’s bad to have a chai that’s been heavily laden with cinnamon or ginger, but it is nice to find one that allows the flavors of the cloves and cardamom to shine through.
This has such a unified flavor – everything is so well rounded! The black tea has a strong flavor – without a strong decaffeinated flavor – and it melds seamlessly with the flavors of the spices. It tastes spicy and exotic. It is a beautifully executed chai … and I find it so delicious that I don’t even miss the caffeine!
I enjoyed my sampling of this tea hot with a little bit of turbinado sugar to complement the spices. I did not add milk to it to make a latte, but, I think that the spicy composure of this chai would make for a very harmonious chai latte, so if you prefer your chai as a latte, I’d say go for it!
I’d recommend this whole-heartedly to those who are looking for delicious decaffeinated teas … this one is a keeper!
Ohio Thunder Chai from Stauf’s Tea House (aka Stauf’s Coffee Roasters)
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Stauf’s Tea House/Stauf’s Coffee Roasters
Tea Description:
Smooth balance of crisp tea flavors, palate lingering and warming spices, and cleansing tannins. Light spicy finish with a hint of fruitiness.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
You know me, I love chai, and I’m always eager to try a new chai (or perhaps I should say: new to me chai). So, when one of my tea drinking comrades offered to send me some of this chai from Stauf’s, I was more than happy to take him up on his offer.
And now that I’m drinking this chai, I’m so happy that he offered me this opportunity. This is an excellent chai! It is richly spiced and yet it has a smooth delivery. It is neither too spicy, nor is it too subtle. I’d say it falls somewhere between the two extremes, leaning more toward the spicy than the subtle. While I do enjoy a spicy chai, I like that this one has achieved a balance between spice and flavorful tea.
The tea base is a blend of Ceylon and Assam, which brings me back to my own tea blending days as the tea base that I used for my Masterpiece Chai was a blend of Ceylon and Assam. I like that Stauf’s chose to combine these two teas, as it gives the tea base a strong tone that it needs as well as a little complex character. The tea is strong enough to stand up and be tasted amongst the powerful flavors of the spices, but it doesn’t become bitter or throw the flavor off in any way. It tastes smooth yet rich and bold.
And then there are the spices! When I first started sipping, I noticed the cinnamon right away. And the cinnamon remained the strongest note through the first couple of sips… but now that I am more than half-way finished with my cup, the other spice flavors have emerged and seem to have an equal amount of the palate’s attention.
I can taste the cardamom! It gives the cup a very pleasing warmth and hint of citrus-y flavor. I can taste the cloves. I can taste the pepper and the ginger, but I like that these two have not been added with too heavy a hand. It has a peppery background note that seems to perk up the palate but never becomes too overpowering.
Stauf’s has achieved a very pleasing balance here, not just with the spices, but also with the tea base. The result: a fantastic cup of chai that is delicious served straight up (a small amount of turbinado sugar will enhance the spices without making it too sweet) as well as served as a latte! YUM! This one gets high praise from me.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Original Masala Chai Tea Mix from Jaipur Avenue
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Jaipur Avenue
Product Description:
An adventure through spicy notes, soothing aromas and velvet textures.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This mix makes an unbelievably good chai!
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about this product before trying it, because I’ve not always had the best of luck with chai mixes. Many that I’ve tried have been way too sweet, but this one, while it is sweetened, isn’t too sweet. It has a very pleasant balance of spice and sweetness and creaminess while still allowing the flavor of the black tea to come through.
The black tea is the least distinguishable of the flavors of this cup, but that does not mean that it is indistinguishable. It is a full-flavored black tea which lends a very pleasing backdrop for the spices of this blend to do their thing.
And those spices do their thing very well! They begin very subtle, but within the time that it takes to take two or three sips, I noticed that the warmth of the peppery ginger began to heat the back of my throat. The spice blend tastes spicy and exotic, and what I’m enjoying most of all about the blend of spices used here is that while it does create a spicy cup, I think it is at a level that even those who tend to steer clear of spicy teas can enjoy it.
This may be due in part to the addition of dry milk to the mix, which lends a soft, creamy note to the cup and allow the delivery of the tea and spices to be a very smooth one. In other words, your palate is not set afire by the spices in this product, it is warmed gently, allowing the temperature of the spices to build gradually, making for a very enjoyable chai experience!
I prepared this product according to package instructions: I poured the contents of the package into a mug, added a small amount of boiling water, then stirred it until the powders were dissolved. Then I added more boiling water and got out my frothing tool and began frothing it. The result is a rich, foamy cup of deliciously spicy chai that not only helped warm me up on this chilly winter’s morning, but also helped to wake me up!
This stuff is awesome!
Original Masala Chai from Yogic Chai
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Yogic Chai
Tea Description:
Organic Assam Tea, Organic Green Cardamom, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Cloves & Organic Ginger.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m quite sure I’ve said this (or something like this) before, but it bears repeating: When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a cup of chai. The heat of the masala spices warms you from the inside out.
And Yogic Chai makes some of my favorite chai blends. And this blend is where it all started! The blend is a perfectly balanced combination of just four spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger. These are the four “usual suspects” when it comes to chai blends, and there are some tea companies that add some other spices, while others may omit one or two of the usual suspects, sometimes in favor of other spices, sometimes not. But really, when it comes to chai, the combination of spices that Yogic Chai uses is classic, but they have blended them masterfully as to create one of a very memorable chai.
Smooth, rich Assam tea makes up the base of this chai. It is strong enough to offer a distinct flavor contribution, even though it is immersed in some rather spicy surroundings. It has a malty character and does not taste bitter (although, as with all teas, I recommend not over-steeping as this may produce a bitter taste).
This is my second tea from my Janauary Steepster Select box, and it is a good one. I’ve tried many teas from Yogic Chai, but this is the first time I’ve tried the Original! Delicious served straight and it makes an awesome latte too, although I think its best served without the milk, adding just a little turbinado sugar to accent the spices. This way I get more impact from the spices, as I think that the addition of milk seems to mute the spices just a bit. This one is yummy any way you choose to serve it!
On the Tenth Day of Christmas, 52Teas Sent to Me …
We are nearing the finish line. These sampler boxes are a fun way to count down the days until Christmas, especially if you’re like me and have difficulty with time. I often blame it on the artist in me, but whether or not that is the case, I don’t know. What I do know is that I have a real issue with the concept of time.
And I bring that up, because, well, an Advent calendar seldom works for me, because I can’t usually wrap my brain around the fact that it’s December 1st when it is. So, even if my intentions are good and I happen to buy an Advent-type, countdown calender, I probably would end up forgetting about it and not start it until mid-December anyway. This cuts the time in half for me, I can handle 12 days. 25 days … well, I probably COULD handle it, but, knowing the struggle it would pose for me, I rather not put myself in that situation.
Yes, I’m babbling. Basically my point is, this kind of countdown – 12 Days of Christmas – works for me. Even though, technically, the 12 Days of Christmas isn’t actually supposed to start before Christmas and be a “countdown”, but actually, should start on Christmas Day.
Enough already! Let’s get on with today’s tea, shall we?
Here is the tenth tea of Christmas …
This chai appearing in the box was a very happy surprise, mainly because it was the first chai in the box (and possibly the only chai!) and Chai is just so warm and cozy and comforting that I expected there to be at least one other Chai tea before this, the tenth day.
Assuming that this is the only chai in the box this year, I guess that this is a good choice for that one chai. It is certainly yummy. Although, truth be told, I would have selected the Gingerbread Chai which is my favorite chai from 52Teas. However, since it was last year’s 12th Tea of Christmas, I didn’t really expect it to appear in this year’s box.
But, all that aside, this is a really yummy chai, so long as it is brewed correctly. The first time I brewed this (it’s been a couple of months now), I brewed it too strong and it caused the Assam to taste really harsh. Normally, I like to brew my chai really strong, but this is not a normal chai, so don’t treat it as such!
A very flavorful chai, the black tea base is bold and invigorating, the spices do not overpower the delightful flavors of caramel and vanilla. I wrote my full-length review of this chai back in October, and I think I’m loving this now even more than I did back then, and that just may be because I am enjoying this “latte” and – just as I stated back in October – it is an over-the-top treat. It is AMAZINGLY good, and even if you don’t think you need to go over-the-top, I do recommend trying it … at least once!