Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zoomdweebies
Tea Description:
Following the success of our Spicier Chai, one of our faithful customers requested a version with chocolate and marshmallow. How could we not do that?
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yum! I’m loving this Chocolate Marshmallow Spicy Chai from 52Teas. It’s the perfect tea to enjoy on a cold, wet afternoon!
If you read this blog regularly, you’re probably well aware by this point that I’m trying to raise funds so that I can take over 52Teas. And if you aren’t yet aware of this, please check out my Kickstarter campaign by clicking right here. (Remember, every little bit helps!)
Anyway, after taking my first sip of this tea, my immediate thought was, “oh yeah, I have to reblend this one!” In fact, I just finished posting a comment on the campaign, stating that I nominate this for a reblend for the next vote!
Every time we reach another $2,000 in pledges, we vote on a new reblend. So far, we’ve reached on $2000 in pledges and the winner of that vote was the Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish Honeybush. If you want to get in on the next vote, you need to contribute and help me reach my goal!
So, yes, I guess you could say that I like this tea. I like it a lot!
The black tea base is rich and flavorful. That in itself is quite an accomplishment because the spices are spicy and the chocolate and marshmallow are both strong components to this cup too. To be able to be tasted beyond the bold spices and the strong flavors, that’s impressive to me.
I also appreciate that the black tea isn’t astringent or bitter. It’s smooth and robust, but not aggressively so. It stands strong amid the other strong flavor profiles in this cup without having to be too harsh tasting.
The spices are very reminiscent of the Spicier Chai blend that 52Teas introduced a few weeks back. And there’s a good reason for that. It would seem that the Spicier Chai was the inspiration behind the request for a Chocolate Marshmallow version. Genius. It sounds like something I’d think of. I didn’t. But, whoever did think of it, you’re a genius.
The spices are spicy! Peppery! Zesty and invigorating! It’s a good, strong, BOLDLY spiced chai. It not only warms you from the inside out but it’ll feel a little like someone started a tiny fire in the back of your throat. Yeah, it burns, but it burns SO good!
And then you have chocolate and marshmallow! I’m usually quick to say that more chocolate is better, but I really am enjoying the level of chocolate in this blend. It’s not SUPER chocolate-y but I think that more chocolate might have interfered with the spices a little bit and I like the balance as it is right now. Spicy and chocolate-y deliciousness.
And the marshmallow is light and fluffy.
What this tastes a bit like is that someone brewed up a cup of that Spicier Chai, and then added a scoop of hot cocoa powder to it and stirred it up, and then topped it with a marshmallow that is now melted into the beverage, making it creamy and sweet and delicious.
So, yeah … totally yum. Please help me save 52Teas so that I can reblend this one!!!
Maharaja Oolong Chai Tea (2014) from Teabox
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Teabox
Tea Description:
This is a spiced Oolong Chai Tea, which is flavourful and aromatic. It’s guaranteed to soothe your senses and recharge your mind.
An eclectic addition to our Indian chai category, the Maharaja chai is made by our in-house master blenders by mixing classic Darjeeling oolong with crushed pieces of cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cloves. The dark red liquor is a visual delight, while the teasing fragrance of cardamom and other spices makes this a great tea to start your mornings with.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This chai is one that I was really excited to try! I can’t recall ever having tried an Oolong chai before! And even better – this is a Darjeeling Oolong Chai!
And it’s a really tasty Darjeeling Oolong Chai!
The spices are not as aggressive as you might find in a typical black tea chai blend. An enchantingly warm combination of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, the spices are comforting and cozy without presenting too strong a spice flavor. It’s there – it’s strong enough to be tasted but not so strong that it overpowers the notes of the Darjeeling Oolong (which is one of my favorite types of Oolong tea).
The Darjeeling Oolong has a really lovely texture to it that’s soft and silky. I like the way the spices taste with this silky texture. It’s quite luxurious tasting. There are some hints of fruity notes to the Oolong tea: sweet and slightly grape-like. These add a compelling element to the cup, a flavor that I’m not quite used to with a chai blend. I also taste the slightly woodsy notes of the tea and the earthy elements and these complement the spices in a pleasant way.
With later infusions (this IS an Oolong and I want to get those extra infusions out of it!) I found that the spice notes tapered somewhat. The second infusion was still pleasantly spiced, but with the third and fourth infusion, the spices began to wane. The Oolong was still very pleasant and it’s certainly worthwhile to infuse this several times to enjoy the many layers of flavor that this tea has to offer!
A really enjoyable and unique chai! This is a tea that Oolong enthusiasts as well as chai lovers would enjoy! I highly recommend giving it a try!
Cinnamon Chai Iced Honeybush Tea from Southern Boy Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: Zoomdweebies
Tea Description:
If you’ve never had an iced chai, you’re missing out. And this one, with it’s organic honeybush base, is exceptional. I think we found just the right balance of chai spice flavors to add to this one–some cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper and a touch of clove.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn about SBT’s subscriptions here.
Taster’s Review:
I personally prefer my chai hot, but, it’s really nice to drink an iced chai now and then. This is really refreshing and flavorful.
If you’ve read any of my other SBT reviews, you’re probably familiar with how I brew these teas. The tea comes in a big sachet which is really convenient for iced tea brewing. You can cold brew it or hot brew it and because it’s in a sachet, you can stash the brewed sachet in the fridge to resteep it for a second pitcher of tea if you’re so inclined.
I don’t usually resteep honeybush teas because I find that they lose flavor quicker than say, a white or green tea. But I highly recommend resteeping the white and green tea varieties of Southern Boy Teas!
I heated 1 quart of water to 195°F and then I added the sachet to the pitcher and let it steep for 9 minutes (because it’s a honeybush base, there are no tannins – this won’t become bitter if you ‘oversteep’ it – so keep it steeping for maximum flavor!) Then I poured the tea into my favorite tea pitcher and I repeated the process with a second quart of water, resteeping the sachet for 12 minutes. This produced a full 1/2 gallon pitcher of iced tea. (Well, you gotta let it cool first! I usually brew the tea at night and in the morning, I have a pitcher full of refreshing iced tea.)
I like the honeyed sweetness from the honeybush. It’s a light, nutty taste that melds well with the chai spices. The spices are zesty but not overly spicy. The name of this chai is “Cinnamon Chai” so I expected a big burst of cinnamon flavor but that didn’t happen. It’s got the cinnamon flavor there, to be sure, but it’s not super cinnamon-y. It’s a gentle warmth and I’m getting that not just from the cinnamon but also the ginger, cardamom, pepper, and cloves.
It’s warm and zesty, but not what I’d call ‘spicy.’ Just a pleasant, warmly spiced tea. I like this one – it’s one I wouldn’t mind having on hand to enjoy regularly. It’s tasty!
Please don’t forget about Southern Boy Teas’ Indiegogo Fundraiser! Help this small business grow! As little as $4 can help further their dream and you’ll get some really tasty tea in return!
Chai Tea from Tealated
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tealated
Tea Description:
This spicy Chai delights the senses with its blend of cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves with organic Assam tea. Try it with milk and sugar for a culinary treat!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yeah! I’m liking this chai!
I worried that I might have oversteeped it, because I absent-mindedly set the timer for 3 minutes without taking into consideration that this is a) an Assam and b) a CTC Assam at that!
But I’m not experiencing any bitterness. I don’t know if that’s because the spices are overpowering any bitter tones or if it’s because this Assam is a bit more forgiving than others that I’ve had. I just know that I’m tasting a really enjoyable cup of Chai that isn’t bitter. It’s smooth, rich and flavorful and jam-packed with masala spice – just the way I like my chai blends to be!
I like that this is warm and zesty – and yeah, I’d even go so far as to say it’s spicy! But it isn’t a ‘too much’ kind of spicy. It’s just right. This is the spice levels that I prefer my chai blends to have. I like a good bit of spice to the cup but I don’t want it to be so overwhelmed with spice that I can’t taste that rich, delicious black tea base.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed many a chai that didn’t meet these specifications. But as far as the kind of chai that I would go back to … this is the kind of chai that I’d be happy to drink again and again.
There’s even the faintest hint of creaminess to the cup which I’m not quite sure where it comes from except that perhaps it’s from the malty notes of the Assam – but it tastes really good served without the dairy. It’s certainly not “latte” like without the dairy, but there is enough of a creamy hint to it that I find enjoyable enough without the dairy.
I think I might serve this to my husband when he gets home. He has recently ‘discovered’ the joy of chai and I think he’ll really enjoy this one.
Mint Marigold Spice Herbal Tea from M&K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Sweet spices and a minty rooibos blend swirl together in this exclusive M&K’s creation! Peppermint and spearmint coat Asian star anise, providing a licorice taste complimenting the spicey, roasted ginger. This infusion is part of the M&K’s Original 20.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
My first reaction to my first sip of this tisane was: mmm! Now, granted, that’s my reaction to many teas that I taste for the first time and it’s usually my reaction when I indulge in a favorite tea. But, it’s not always a first reaction when I take a sip of a tisane. And it’s certainly not a frequent reaction when I take a sip of a rooibos tisane.
But M&K’s created a winner when they crafted this rooibos blend. It’s warm and cozy but also cool and invigorating! It’s a lovely medley of contradiction.
The first flavor I notice when I take a sip is cinnamon. Almost immediately after picking up on the cinnamon notes, I taste the crisp, refreshing taste of peppermint and spearmint.
Mid-sip, I notice the zesty licorice flavor from the anise. It’s not an overwhelming flavor and I suspect that even those who are not typically fond of blends with star anise would enjoy this tisane. It is more of a warm snap of licorice with a hint of sweetness from the anise without the strong spicy snap of it.
I also notice a warm, peppery ‘glow’ from the ginger.
What I don’t notice is a strong, obvious flavor of rooibos and I’m sure that those who are familiar with my likes and dislikes know that I’m quite alright with the lack of rooibos flavor. I like that I’m tasting the gentle honey sweetness of the rooibos and a hint of nutty flavor without a really strong rooibos taste.
I like the way these flavors – peppermint, spearmint, anise, ginger and cinnamon – come together in this blend. Any one of them can be a very aggressive flavor but rather than one flavor overpowering the others, they are working together in a synergistic way to create a very harmonious taste that’s both spicy and sweet, warming and cooling.
I like this one!