Where to Buy: Arbor Teas
Company Description:
White chocolate ganache infused with our spicy Masala Chai Black Tea, coated in white chocolate, and topped with a chocolate marble.
Taster’s Review:
Editor’s Note: This review represents part 4 of 6 reviews, one review for each of the six flavors in the truffle collection available from Arbor Teas.
Have I mentioned lately how much I love these chocolates from Arbor Teas?
This one is a white chocolate ganache that’s been infused with Arbor Tea’s Masala Chai Black Tea blend. I haven’t tried their Chai, so I don’t know if this is a fair representation of the flavor of their chai tea, but, if it is, I’d have to say that it is a very pleasing chai, indeed!
I can taste the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves distinctly, but less flavor from the ginger and black pepper come through. There is a nice peppery aftertaste that cuts through some of the sweet white chocolate, however, it is a faint flavor. I detect very little of the black tea flavor, but I can taste a hint of it.
My favorite part of this treat was the gold-leaf embellished chocolate marble on top of the truffle. I can taste a hint of bourbon in this and I personally think that there should have been more to this; it would have accented the flavors in the truffle very nicely.
If my favorite local coffee house made a white chocolate chai latte, I would imagine it tasting a bit like this. It is very sweet and rich, but very decadent and delicious.
Spiced Masala Chai from Mark T. Wendell
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mark T. Wendell
Company Description:
We are pleased to offer this uplifting, full-bodied blend of India black tea with masala, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and cardamom. A traditional Indian offering that is often served with plenty of milk to create a delicious, spicy Chai.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… I’m quite biased when it comes to masala chai blends. That being said, this is a delicious masala chai, and I’m really enjoying it.
Although the ingredient list for this tea seems somewhat simple compared to some other masala chai blends, it has a very nice balance of flavors. This skillful blend of cinnamon, ginger and cardamom is very much in harmony – it is not too spicy, it is not too hot from the cinnamon, it is not too peppery from the ginger, nor is it too zesty from the cardamom. Each of these ingredients is present and accounted for in the flavor presentation, and there is no power struggle to overwhelm the cup.
I suspect the addition of vanilla to this blend has something to do with this harmonious flavor. It has a very enjoyable smoothness to it – a hint of creamy sweetness. It, too, is not an overpowering flavor; rather, it is very subtle.
The black tea base is also noteworthy in this blend, it provides an even flavor and texture that is not too mellow – it has a pleasant briskness to it that offers a nice contrast to the warm spices and smooth vanilla taste.
I would recommend this to the tea drinker looking for a chai that is not overwhelmingly spicy. While I enjoyed my cup of this hot with just a little honey (come on, you’ve gotta have honey with your chai, right?) as my cup cooled I noticed that the flavors stood strong – making this an excellent choice for iced masala chai. I’ve also enjoyed this chai as a latte, and it’s so good! While the steamed milk does mute the spices slightly, the milk does bring out the vanilla and elevates this tea to a very creamy, decadent treat!
Red Baron Chai from t leaf T
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: t Leaf T
Company Description:
Rooibos combined with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, pepper, star anise and cloves. Spicy and full of flavour, great with milk or sweetener.
Taster’s Review:
I am not a big fan of rooibos blends. I like them alright. Sometimes, I will find one that I absolutely adore and must keep on hand at all times (such as 52Teas Chocolate Banana Rooibos). But usually, I can take ‘em or leave ‘em.
The reason is the rooibos themselves. The naturally occurring sweetness in rooibos reminds me a bit too much of that funky artificial-sweetener-aftertaste that you might get after drinking a beverage that’s been sweetened with saccharine. I know this because as a kid, that is what things were sweetened with. It’s as if my step-mother had stock in those little saccharine tablets, because we had to put those in our Kool-Aid. It was just … disgusting. Not to mention possibly hazardous to our health!
Since that time I have developed a strong dislike for artificial sweeteners of any kind. And, unfortunately, rooibos has that sort of taste to them.
I am happy to say, though, that with this rooibos chai, I can’t taste that funk! All I can taste is a slightly woodsy, earthy character from the rooibos (as well as some of the spices) and the warm, lively spices! The masala spice blend includes both ginger and pepper which really gives the blend a real kick. The cinnamon does not overwhelm the spices, and there is just a hint of a licorice-like snap to it – courtesy of the star anise.
There is also a faint citrus-y note that gives the blend a nice sweetness, while cardamom and cloves provide a depth of flavor and round out the marsala spices. It is such a delicious tasting chai that you won’t miss the black tea!
I tried this tea first without any sweetener or milk, and it was quite good. Then, I tried it as a latte – I added a dollop of raw honey and frothed up a little warm milk. This really gave a creamy, absolutely dreamy flavor to this tea. But I warn you, once you try it this way, you’ll not want to go back to drinking just plain chai rooibos again! It’s so good!