Product Information:
Antioxidant rich black tea, fresh ginger, spices and a touch of soy milk.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
While out shopping at Whole Foods, I found Bhakti Chai! Having previously tried their Chai concentrates, I knew I would enjoy this Ready-to-Drink Original Iced Bhakti Chai, so I grabbed a bottle of it. (In case you’re wondering, my favorite of the concentrates is the Unsweetened Chai.)
I really enjoyed this RTD Chai … although, I must say that I really prefer the concentrate because I can control the type (and amount) of milk product that is added. This ready-to-drink iced chai is made with soy milk, and I found the texture of this to be somewhat lacking.
Yeah, I know it’s the hip thing to like soy milk, but, I prefer good old cow’s milk. Or, if I need to go dairy-free, I’ll go with an almond milk. Soy just doesn’t do it for me. One thing I will say about the soy … it was less creamy and heavy tasting, which was nice for this very warm, end of the summer day.
But I was happy that this tasted as spicy as I remember Bhakti Chai tasting. Lots of fiery ginger and warm spice. This is sweetened, so it is a little sweeter than I usually go for when it comes to chai but, it is still a really tasty RTD, and better than a lot of the RTDs that are out there.
Overall, I really enjoyed this Chai, and I was happy to find it at my local Whole Foods. I tried to find the concentrate at Whole Foods too, but, I didn’t find it anywhere. I would love for them to start carrying the concentrate because this is a yummy, delicious, ginger-y chai!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Tiger Spice Chai Mix from David Rio
Product Information:
Where to Buy: David Rio
Product Description:
David Rio’s signature and award winning chai is a rich and creamy mixture of black tea and premium spices including cinnamon, cardamom and clove. A percentage of profits from the sale of ALL David Rio Tiger Spice Chai® will be donated to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (www.ifaw.org). For more info, visit ourAnimal Welfare page.
Learn more about this instant chai mix here.
I received a packet of this instant chai mix in my January Love with Food box.
Taster’s Review:
In addition to my tea addiction … I also consider myself a bit of a foodie, and I enjoy receiving a couple of “food tasting boxes” every month. I subscribe to a couple of them, including Love with Food. Love with Food is a great company that every month, sends out boxes that are filled with little samples of food items. And for every box sent, Love with Food donates a meal to a hungry child. I like that.
In January, I received a package of this Tiger Spice Chai Mix from David Rio. Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve tried the Tiger Spice Chai Mix from David Rio … I had the opportunity to try their products years ago, after being introduced to them through a hot beverage convention that I attended back when I was still self-employed as a tea vendor. I enjoyed it back then, and I’m enjoying it now.
It has a creamy, sweet-spiced taste. It is … in my opinion, too sweet. I’d rather be able to sweeten it myself than to have all that sugar added to my chai, but, as a once in a while treat for myself, I think I can handle the occasional sweet drink. And since this is the first time I’ve had this chai in … probably six or seven years, I’d say that’s once in quite a while!
And since that last time that I tried this chai … I can say that my taste buds have really come a long way. I used to really LOVE this stuff. It’s still … OK … but, it’s not all that I thought it once was. The black tea is quite obscured by the sugar and the creamer used in the mix. The spices are not very spicy … they’re pretty mellow in comparison to other chai blends I’ve had recently, and a bit more mellow than I would like it to be.
It’s drinkable, certainly, but not something that I would want to drink on a regular basis, and as it is pumped up with a lot of sugar and corn syrup solids, it’s probably better that way. I enjoyed it, but, certainly not as much as I would have enjoyed a chai that I had more control over – that I could decide how much sweetener (if any) I would add, and how much milk/cream/creamer I would add, if any.
That said, I think it’s commendable that David Rio is committed to Animal Welfare. You can read more about that here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Cardamom Chai Tea Mix from Jaipur Avenue
Product Information:
Product: black tea – instant spiced chai mix
Where to Buy: Jaipur Avenue
Product Description:
A retreat into green/woodsy undertones, refreshing aromas and natural sweetness.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
Nice!
In some chai blends, I have a difficult time discerning the cardamom because of the stronger flavors of cinnamon and ginger. Yes, cardamom on its own can be a strong spice, but when united with cinnamon and ginger, these two warmer spices can be very aggressive and often overpower some of the subtle complexities of the cardamom.
I’m loving that this chai mix focuses on the cardamom!
With this chai mix, I can taste the light citrus-y tone of the cardamom, and that sun-kissed fruit note gives this chai a brightness that I seldom experience with a spiced chai. This citrus-y flavor weaves its way throughout the sip, and is most prominent in the aftertaste where I can taste a light, orange-y kind of flavor. This tastes lighter and more refreshing while still maintaining that warm spiciness that I love about chai.
I can taste the other spice flavors: most notably, I can taste notes of ginger and cinnamon. But these spices that often dominate a chai have taken a back seat with this chai, allowing the cardamom to drive for a change. The black tea is also there, peaking its way through every now and then. This chai mix also has the latte already mixed in – giving it a smooth, rich, creamy flavor that is absolutely luxurious.
This chai mix has been sweetened, and while this is a little sweeter than I would have made for myself, my sweet tooth doesn’t seem to mind.
I’ve really enjoyed this … my only complaint? It’s all gone now, and I want more!