Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh Tea & Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Zen Tea
Tea Description:
Velvety, mellow and deep, this chai is an enticing blend of energizing pu-erh tea, shade-grown yerba maté, and cacao. Made even more inviting by creamy vanilla, nutty coconut and fruity, pungent and uplifting Ayurvedic long pepper. It is the most sophisticated take on hot cocoa.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was skeptical. A chai blend with a pu-erh and yerba maté base? Sounds way too earthy for my liking! But, this Organic Energizing Chai Blend from Zen Tea is really quite smooth and tasty!
I don’t know if its really “fair” to call it a chai, because the only “chai” spices it has is pepper (and this is long pepper, not the usual black pepper) and cardamom. But OK, since, chai technically means “tea” and not spiced tea, I’ll accept that this is a chai.
But, that criticism notwithstanding, this is still really tasty. It’s not overtly spicy, and not nearly as spicy as I would like a “chai” to be, but, I like this for what it is. And what it is is a smooth, sweet, warm blend that brings together the flavors of chocolate, coconut and vanilla in a really exciting way.
As I mentioned before, the base of this chai is a pu-erh tea and Argentinian Yerba Maté. Both of these ingredients contribute to the earthy notes of the cup, and this is a very prominent taste to this drink. But, I am not finding it off-putting, and I’m not sure if it’s because the coconut and vanilla give it a pleasant smooth, creaminess that seems to soften the earthy tones or because the earthiness complements the chocolate notes so well (or perhaps a bit of both of these reasons!) The Pu-erh is more pronounced than the Yerba Maté, but I can taste both in this cup.
The chocolate is really nice here. It has a deep, rich, almost toasty flavor to it, and this is nicely accented with the sweet, creamy notes from the vanilla and coconut. Overall, this is a really tasty cup – certainly different from the typical chai! But, I like this one for its differences. This is not one I’d recommend to someone looking for a good, spicy chai, but, rather, someone who was looking for something that is a departure from that spicy chai. This is not spicy … but it is tasty!
I like it!
Red Velvet Cake Mate from 52Teas
Tisane Description:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tisane Description:
Our Malted ChocoMate has been one of our most popular blends over the years, well, at least it WAS until this! Here’s roasted yerba mate blended with organic cacao nibs and organic flavors. It’s chocolate and cream cheese frosting and cake in a cup. I thought about adding some red food coloring, but I think you will agree that even if it isn’t red, it’s delicious.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
YUM! To be honest, I wasn’t really … looking that forward to trying this Red Velvet Cake Mate from 52Teas. And I love chocolate!
Here’s the thing … in addition to being a chocoholic and a tea addict, I have a thing for cupcakes. I go nuts over cupcakes. I see a cupcake bakery and I beg my husband to stop just so I can see what flavors they have … and for me, the more outrageous the flavor, the better. (Kind of that way with tea flavors too) I don’t get so excited over cake … oh sure, I won’t turn my nose up at cake … but a cupcake? I love it. I turn into a kid when it comes to cupcakes.
The problem: it seems that every cupcake bakery has a red velvet offering. It’s become the “Earl Grey” of the cupcake world … everyone has one. Not that I knock Earl Grey, I love it as you’re probably aware! And I actually like red velvet cake (and cupcakes) … but, if given a choice between red velvet cake and a chocolate cake … I’d choose chocolate because red velvet seems to me to be like … a lighter version of chocolate. That is, it’s like a chocolate cupcake, but with less chocolate. And if you’ve read my articles for very long, you know that I am a strong supporter of the more chocolate = better concept. And if more chocolate = better, then less chocolate = worse. Simple logic.
So, I guess I was thinking … OK, so this is going to be a “light” chocolate Yerba Maté and I’m going to have to write my article complaining about a lack of chocolate. There are few things that make me more disappointed in a chocolate tea than a lack of chocolate.
Fortunately, Frank of 52Teas apparently does not subscribe to this idea that red velvet cake is a lighter version of chocolate cake, because this is nice and chocolate-y. (However, more chocolate WOULD be better … because more chocolate = better.) And I can taste the tangy cream cheese frosting note. It is sweet and delicious, and I love the roasted flavor of the Yerba Maté … I love that it doesn’t have that strong vegetative note, that the roasted flavor accentuates the earthy tones which complements the chocolate notes very nicely. And then the overtone of creamy, tangy frosting just … it’s the icing on the cake! (haha, I made a punny! Oh gawd I’m a nerd. Please don’t tell my husband I admitted that.)
This is totally yummy. It is rich, chocolate-y, toasty, and tangy! Absolutely scrumptious. Unfortunately, it is also sold out. So, if you want some, you should let Frank know! Contact him via this contact form or, you could tweet him, or visit his facebook page. Please tell him you heard about this tea from me!
Roasted Maté from Culinary Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where To Buy: Culinary Teas
Tisane Description:
Full bodied and smooth herbal tea. The roasted character of this mate imparts a coffee-like toast flavor. Rich in mateine, which is recognized as a mild stimulant.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Occasionally, I’ll wake up feeling like I could probably very easily sleep another four or five hours, even after a full night’s sleep. I’ll feel groggy and sluggish and not only “unmotivated” but just too “tired” to get myself motivated. It’s on those days when I need a cup of Yerba Maté! There is more caffeine in Maté than in a typical cup of tea, and I need that invigoration … I need more than just a gentle shake to wake me that I can get from a cup of tea.
I usually prefer the roasted variety of Maté over the green Maté, although I’ve come to appreciate both types. There was a time when I didn’t really care for either, but, now, I embrace Maté. I think that those who process the leaf have come a long way since my earliest cups of Yerba Maté, either that or I’m just better at brewing it! Whatever the reason, I didn’t like it then, but I like it now.
This is a very pleasant Roasted Maté from Culinary Teas. The aroma of the dry leaf is a little earthy and warm, reminding me of autumn and the season that is quickly approaching (yay!) It even smelled a little like chicory, which always reminds me of coffee – and that’s coffee in a good way. I don’t have a lot of good things to say about that other caffeinated beverage (aka coffee) but, there was a time when I did enjoy it, and there are times when I miss the fragrance of the roasted bean. But I don’t miss the sicky, icky feelings of nausea a few hours after drinking it.
So, I do like it when I smell something that smells like coffee and I even like it when I taste something that tastes like coffee, so long as I’m not going to be sick in a couple of hours. Fortunately, I’ve never felt that with Yerba Maté, so I think I’m in the clear.
The flavor of this tisane is warm and rich, very much the way the scent of the dry leaf smelled – that’s what I taste. Warm, earthy flavors, but not too earthy or vegetative. Smooth and rich, almost reminiscent of a cup of coffee. And that’s just what I needed today.
Yerba Maté is delicious served hot with some turbinado sugar – that’s the way I’m drinking it now. It’s also nice served straight (no additions), but, I think that the rich, coffee like flavors come alive for me when I add just a little turbinado sugar. It’s also great served as a latte – just add a splash of steamed milk! Recently, I discovered Maté as an iced beverage too, and it’s really good that way too! Very energizing and restorative!
Flaming Chocolate Maté from 52Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tisane Description:
Ready for a bit of heat and a bit of sweet? How about a nice caffeine kick to boot? Here’s some roasted yerba mate blended with organic cacao nibs and cayenne pepper for a delicious, caffeinated kick in the mouth.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I love contrasting flavors like spicy and sweet, so I was confident that this Flaming Chocolate Maté would be right up my alley.
And yes, I’m loving this! The chocolate is a little on the light side, but, it is incredibly smooth and deliciously sweet. The cayenne pepper doesn’t really launch a full assault on the taste buds, in fact, throughout the sip, it is just barely there.
It is in the aftertaste where I really feel the delightful burn on the back of my tongue and throat. I like that this isn’t too hot where I feel like my taste buds have been burned. It isn’t so hot that I feel like my mouth is on fire, but it definitely brings the heat in it’s own gentle way, like slow-burning embers.
The rich, roasted taste of the yerba maté is there too. Because it is a roasted maté, this is more earthy tasting than vegetative, and I think that works to this tisane’s advantage. The roasted flavor enhances the flavor of the chocolate, bringing out the richness of the cacao.
This is a delicious, invigorating, spicy-yet-sweet cuppa … perfect for those mornings when you need a little something to get you on your way!
Vanilla Macadamia Nut Mate from Tea Chai Té
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Tea Chai Té
Tisane Description:
This new organic yerba mate blend is fantastic with a nutty flavor and sweet vanilla aroma. Mate is blended with vanilla and macadamia nut oils. Organic & Mateinated.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This is one of the three teas/tisanes that I picked up at the new Sellwood location (just look for a fiery red train caboose!) when I visited them a couple of weeks ago. Yerba Maté is not typically something I’d choose and that’s one of the reasons that I selected this one. I wanted to step outside my comfort zone a little bit. That, and I couldn’t resist the flavor combination. Vanilla and macadamia nut? That sounds amazingly yummy. I had to try it!
The aroma of the dry leaf is incredible. It has a heady vanilla scent with a delicious nutty fragrance in the background. The yerba maté appears to be either a green (possibly a smoked green) or a very lightly roasted yerba maté – or perhaps a blend of green and roasted yerba maté. I kind of expected it to be a roasted yerba maté as I figured that the roasted tones would unite quite deliciously with the macadamia nut, so I was kind of surprised to see a green yerba maté here.
Oh! This is really tasty. I like the subtle vegetal notes as well as the earthy tones that the green yerba maté provide. The vanilla is prominent, and it offers a very smooth, sweet flavor that is quite nice. I’m used to tasting vanilla flavoring with the leaves of camellia sinensis, and I do enjoy vanilla flavored teas, but, I’m also really enjoying the vanilla yerba maté. Because there is no astringency to the yerba maté, the creamy tones of the vanilla are not interrupted. It is smooth from start to finish.
Also nice is the way the macadamia nut develops. It starts out as a light flavor, weaving its way in and out of the sip, but not being very assertive one way or the other. Then, by mid-cup, it is deliciously macadamia nutty! YUM!
This is delicious served straight up and hot, but, it is also quite good iced. I also think I might try making a latte out of this, it would be quite a decadent treat!