Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Chai Té
About Tea Chai Té:
We are a locally owned casual tea house specializing in handcrafted organic tea blends. We offer over 120 tea selections, of which 75 are organic. 15 unique handcrafted chai blends are made to order. We always have house brewed kombucha on tap and our bubble teas are stellar! We also offer high mountain oolongs, mate blends, apothecary teas, and more. Now featuring a special kids menu for little ones to enjoy the pleasures tea brings.
Taster’s Review:
This is one of the newer blends available at Tea Chai Té – so new, in fact, that I cannot locate it on the website. I guess it has not yet been added! I picked this chai up when I visited the Sellwood location about a month ago.
I purchased three teas that day. The Strawberry Sencha I selected because that is the tea I happened to order as an iced tea, so I wanted to take some home with me to try it hot (and of course, review it!) I chose the Vanilla Macadamia Nut Maté because I don’t usually order Maté blends and I wanted to step outside my comfort zone. I chose this chai because I simply could not resist it. It sounded so yummy, I had to try it!
Wow! This is incredible! The spices are mellow and warm. This is not a spicy chai. It is warmly spiced; not spicy-hot. I taste the cinnamon and cardamom most prominently. The vanilla tones are almost as strong as the cinnamon, which gives it a sweet, creamy taste that is quite luxurious. The touch of rose adds to that taste of luxury.
The black tea is not overwhelmed here. It provides a richly satisfying, slightly malty tone in the background. It supports the flavors of the spices as well as the vanilla and rose notes without attempting to overpower them – it is content to stay in the background and let the other ingredients do their thing.
I absolutely love this. It is one of the best “mild” chai blends I’ve had, and while I usually tend to prefer a spicy-hot kind of chai, this is one that is so good I can see keeping it as a part of my permanent tea stash. It’s that good!
Rose Earl Grey from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Create your own heaven with rose earl grey tea. The full body of flavor of oil of bergamot that is traditional early grey is captured wonderfully with the addition of rose petals. This tasty blend of rose petals and earl grey offers a smooth and pleasant taste full of satisfying citrus and complementing floral tones. Rose petals not only provide earl grey with additional amazing flavor but with the immune system defense of Vitamin C. Protect yourself and enjoy yourself with rose earl grey. Add a sprig of mint to increase its aromatic qualities and powerful taste or add a dash of lemon to bring out the natural citrus flavor. Put it on ice for cool treat for yourself and guests or serve it warm as a perfect ending to a wonderful meal.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve mentioned it before (probably more than once!) – but Red Leaf Tea has such an impressive collection of Earl Grey Teas!
I’ve tried rose infused Earl Grey teas before, but, this one is different from some of the others I’ve tried. The rose essence is very well-defined, providing a strong rose presence in the cup.
The bergamot is also strong, and I like how the floral notes of the rose add definition to the floral notes of the bergamot, allowing the citrus fruit’s sweeter, more exotic side to shine through. I still taste the bright, juicy quality of the tangy fruit, but, I am able taste some of its more botanical qualities here as well.
The rose and bergamot meld together quite nicely, offering a taste that is perfumed without tasting like a bottle of cheap perfume. Instead, this has a heady, aromatic quality that can be tasted – it’s quite sultry and romantic.
A very enjoyable Rose Earl Grey.
Monarch Blend from Ovation Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Ovation Teas
Tea Description:
Black tea blended with lavender, rose petals, mango, peaches, and marigolds with mango & peach flavoring.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This blend seemed to be a very busy blend – it had a lot of flavors and flowers and to be honest that was my attraction to it. I like when I come across a blend with a lot going on, as I like to sort of “test myself” to see if I can taste all the flavors.
This is really GOOD! And, yes, I can taste all the flavors! The mango and peach flavors are well-balanced, and they give a pleasing, nectar-like sweetness to this cup. Very fruity, but what I like is that the hint of rose and lavender in the background cut through some of the fruit notes and give it some contrast.
The black tea is not overwhelmed by all these flavors, either. It is smooth and rich, not what I’d call robust or bold, really, but, mellow and well-rounded. This is a very well-crafted blend by Ovation Teas … I become more impressed with Ovation Teas with every new blend that I try from them.
Sencha Kyoto Cherry Rose Festival Tea from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tea Description:
Sencha Kyoto Cherry tea tends light liquoring, fresh and smooth with reasonable depth and body. The cherry flavoring and subtle rose hints give this green tea a wonderful exotic character.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Spring isn’t my favorite season. I have allergies, and while I have learned how to keep them under control for the rest of the year, at the start of the spring season, it would seem that some new strain of pollen has infiltrated my breathing space and for the first few weeks of spring, I’m sneezing, coughing and itchy. But that’s spring for you … or rather, for me.
But, there is one thing that brings a little sunshine into my springtime: cherry flavored Sencha teas. No other tea says “Spring” to me like a cherry Sencha, and this Sencha Kyoto Cherry Rose Festival Tea from Culinary Teas is quite nice, indeed.
The blend starts out as a feast for the eyes with its vivid green tea leaves and the contrasting rose petals. And fortunately, I’ve gotten past the new spring pollen initiation, so I can smell the lovely fragrance that this tea offers as well: sweet cherry and a whisper of rose.
The green tea tastes crisp and fresh, but it doesn’t taste real grassy. It has a light buttery taste and texture, not really creamy, but more of what I’d call “supple.” The rose is a bit of an accent flavor, offering just a hint of sharpness to offset some of the sweeter notes of the cherry. The cherry flavor is light and sweet and has a hint of tartness to it as well, and I like that this doesn’t taste like a cough drop. I’ve had enough of those this season already!
This is one of the best ways to celebrate spring – with a cup of Sencha Kyoto Cherry Rose Festival Tea!
Royal Wedding Commemorative Tea from Capital Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & White Teas
Where to Buy: Capital Teas
Tea Description:
A commemorative union of our bold Cream Earl Grey Black and our light and refreshing Cream Earl Grey White, enhanced with the essence of roses.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
One year ago today, there was a wedding that captured the attention of millions around the world. This tea was created to commemorate that occasion, and what a lovely tea it is!
Because the tea base is a blend of both black and white teas, I opted for a fairly low brewing temperature (175°F) and a brewing time of 4 minutes in my Breville one-touch. The results is a tea that is rich and creamy in flavor, where I can taste both types of tea as well as the tangy bergamot, the touches of cream and even the hint of rose.
The black tea flavor is much softer than one might expect from a black tea … a consequence from not only the lower brewing temperature, but also from the addition of white tea leaves in the blend. The black tea doesn’t taste bold or strong, exactly, but the black tea does offer a certain richness to the blend that is quite nice.
The white tea is a less distinguishable flavor than the black tea, which is to be expected as white tea tends to be a more delicate tasting tea to begin with. What I notice more than the fresh flavor of the Pai Mu Tan is the lightness in flavor its presence offers as well as a soft, creamy texture that is quite “white tea like.”
Each sip is enchanted with a sweet, vanilla cream taste that when brought together with the other components of this tea end up tasting a bit like delicious vanilla caramel. YUM!
The bergamot is a mellow yet tangy citrus flavor that has hints of flower within its bright, sunny flavor. These floral notes are further highlighted by the addition of roses to the blend. The rose is sweet and pleasant, giving the cup a distinct feminine overtone – an enjoyable contrast to the somewhat masculine undertone of the bergamot.
What a beautiful tribute to the wedding that captured the imagination of so many, and gave little girls hope that anyone – no matter their status in life – could one day marry their prince.