Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi
Where to Buy: Davidson’s Organics
Tisane Description:
Davidson`s Signature Blend blends three varieties of Tulsi (Krishna, Rama and Vana) with Peppermint (mild stimulating properties, aids digestion & calms an upset stomach)*, Pepper (mild stimulant & digestive aid)*, Ginger (helps with motion sickness & nausea)* and Cinnamon (recommended for balancing blood sugar levels).
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Nice!
I love the combination of flavors here … a quick glance of the ingredients, and one might think of this as a chai-like tisane, but, it really isn’t. The flavors of pepper, ginger and cinnamon are very calm – not at all spicy.
Everything in this blend is nicely balanced. It has a minty overtone, but the peppermint (as well as the natural minty notes of the tulsi) does not overpower the cup. Peppermint can sometimes be an aggressive herb, but here, it seems to even out the also sometimes aggressive flavors of cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. Everything seems to work together to create a gentle, even flavor that is actually quite soothing.
I love that I taste everything here but it is all in a smooth and calm way. Bravo to Davidson’s Organics for creating a Signature Blend that allows the beauty of tulsi to come through.
Chaider from World Spice Merchants
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush & Rooibos
Where to Buy: World Spice Merchants
Tisane Description:
Chaider is sure to take off the chill with its original blend of Star Anise, Tellicherry Peppercorns, Cassia Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Green Cardamom Pod and Seed, Honeybush and Rooibos. Serve it steeped as you would tea, or in warmed apple cider.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a very tasty tisane from World Spice Merchants. It does indeed have a flavor that is reminiscent of hot spiced cider, all that’s missing is the apple! Then again, it is a little different from a typical cider. This has a strong licorice-like flavor to it that gives it a sharpness and a sweet flavor and gives this its own unique flavor.
I’ve had this twice now, and the first time I steeped it, I steeped for ten minutes using a little too much leaf – about 2 heaping teaspoons per 8 ounces, which is about the normal amount for me when I make a chai blend, as I usually plan on diluting it with steamed milk to make a latte.
However, I didn’t make it a latte, so I had a very strong-tasting tisane, and I think it was a bit too strong, especially after tasting my second cup which I steeped for about 8 minutes and used 1 1/2 teaspoons per 8 ounces instead of the 2 heaping teaspoons. This made a big difference in the taste, and I found the second cup to be much more palatable.
The anise flavor is quite strong with this tisane, and as I am a fan of anise, I don’t have a problem with that. However, if you’re not a licorice or anise fan, this is not the tisane for you. The other spices are nicely balanced, and the cinnamon and anise complement each other very well. But this isn’t too cinnamon-y which is something I often find with cider-like teas or tisanes, and I like that I can taste the other spices here.
I can also taste the rooibos and honeybush, and they bring a nice, woody tone to the background. Normally, I am not a fan of the woody flavors of these herbs (especially rooibos) but it works here, because of the overall rustic quality of this tisane.
A nice, warming tisane for these chilly early spring evenings.
White Chocolate Spice Chai Tea from Culinary Teas
Tea Type: Chai (Black Tea Base)
Where To Buy: Culinary Teas
Product Description:
This Spiced Chai has seasonal Malabar Coast spices, the sweet caramel comes to the fore front with a sensuous Belgian White Chocolate finish. Spices include Ginger, Cardamom, Coriander, Cinnamon, Cloves and Black Pepper.
Tasters Review:
I often have word association with many teas. This is one of them. White Chocolate. I remember my mother making Regular Chocolate, White Chocolate, and Orange Chocolate around the holidays. Many of you have read about my ramblings on Orange Chocolate before and didn’t realize until a few years ago that it wasn’t very popular outside of the Buffalo area. It’s a shame because Orange Chocolate is awesome. Anyhow…back to white chocolate. White Chocolate DOES have a different taste to milk chocolate. It’s more milky, creamy, not really like a pure chocolate but certainly creamy.
I can taste the white chocolate in this tea but it’s not over the top and I can taste most if not all of the spices! It’s milky smooth but with spice! So, as I really sat down and thought about this tea it did make sense and it did fit the description…milky-smooth fit the White Chocolate to a T and the spices were in line with what you would expect from a chai! All-together this was right-up there with the delightful flavored chais I have tried! NICE!
BioChai from Hampstead Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Hampstead Tea
Product Description:
Based on a traditional Indian recipe, our chai is made with exotic organic spices from the East. Best enjoyed throughout the day as a creamy latte-style drink. Delicious both hot and iced.
Ingredients: Fairtrade black tea, Fairtrade root ginger, lemongrass, pepper, cardamom seeds and cloves
Taster’s Review:
This is a tasty chai. I really like the addition of lemongrass to this recipe, it adds a nice, citrus-y back drop to the strong black tea and spices.
The black tea is bold and astringent. It is strong enough to hold its own against the powerful spices of this blend without overwhelming them. It has a pleasant malty taste in the background … is this an Assam? I suspect it is (or at the very least, it is a blend of teas that includes Assam). It is very rich and flavorful. A very good base for these spices.
The spices are also quite bold and peppery. The ginger and pepper in this blend are the strongest components of the spice set, with the cardamom providing a warm background note. The cloves are a bit more powerful here than in a typical masala chai blend – this could be because there is no cinnamon to take the spotlight away from the cloves. It could also that because the chai has been very finely ground and the cloves have a better opportunity to express themselves with the fine grind.
The lemongrass here is a delicate flavor in comparison to the other flavors, but it is no less appreciated. As I said at the start of this review, the lemongrass offers a light citrus-y tone to the tea, and I find it to be a very pleasing note.
I drank my first cup of this extra strong (I used two teabags) with a little turbinado sugar to bring out the warmth and complexity in the spices. As it cooled, I noticed that the flavor of the cloves really seemed to pop and accented the citrus-y tones nicely. For my second cup, I made a chai latte, and I absolutely LOVE this as a chai latte! It was creamy and rich. A real treat! YUM!
100% Organic Tulsi Signature Blend from Davidson’s Tea
Tea Type: Herbal Tea (Tulsi Base)
Where To Buy: Davidson’s Tea
Product Review:
Davidson’s Signature Blend blends three varieties of Tulsi (Krishna, Rama and Vana) with Peppermint, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.
Tasters Review:
We’ve recently made some new friends in the Tea World…the fine people at Davidson’s Tea. We have many more Davidson Tea Reviews on tap so please check back! They have a large selection of bagged teas…my favorite part…they’re ORGANIC!
As for this specific tea – or Tisane, in this case – it’s their 100% Organic Tulsi Signature Blend.
At first I thought this was somewhat relaxing but it does have a kick of spice to it…followed up with a subtle minty finish.
After really trying to pick out the individual ingredients I could taste the Tulsi, Pepper, Ginger, and Peppermint but they worked well together. This signature Tulsi Blend seems to make my mouth water – a nice characteristic considering the ingredient combo! I appreciate the fact there are not one, not two, but, THREE Tulsi’s in this blend! Nicely Done, Davidson’s!!!
