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Caramel Chai Red from Zhena's Gypsy Tea
79

I have to admit that I don’t normally like chai tea. Yes, I do have the occasional chai tea latte from Starbucks.. but as far as bagged or loose chai tea at home.. no! I’m not sure what prompted me to buy this tea. I thought that I was done with Zhena’s Gypsy Tea as I hadn’t been impressed with really any of the ones I’d had.
The idea of cloves, black pepper, licorice root, cardamom and ginger root doesn’t appeal to me. BUT this tin says that this tea has a caramel/vanilla flavor… plus, it has a red tea base.. so I thought that it would be worth a try.
This tea has a relatively calm combination of spices which I prefer over BOLD chai. It’s a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy. I find this tea to be more enjoyable when it’s hot. When it cools, I can taste the ginger and licorice a bit more.. and I’d rather have the other flavors instead. There is nothing distinctly like caramel, but I suppose that it smooths out the chai spices. I think that this tea is ideal for the start of fall. It’s warming & comforting.. just perfect for the changing leaves and cooler weather.

People who liked this

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Comments

MaddHatter
MaddHatter 2011-09-24 10:44:21 -0400

I’m quickly learning that unless it is a sugary-syrupy latte from starbucks I can’t seem to steep chai correctly unless it is a red based or purely herbal tea. This one sounds good until you mentioned that the licorice has a slightly more prominent. I have a hard time with fennel, anise, and licorice flavors in tea.

QueenOfTarts
QueenOfTarts 2011-09-25 16:49:54 -0400

I also have a difficult time with the flavors you’ve mentioned. I think the licorice is pretty mellow until it cools. In this blend, it’s definitely not so bad for someone who dislikes it.

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Bio

Previously FrenchVanilla
~
Student. Tea (& Coffee) lover. Bookworm.

Favorite teas: Oolong (Milk Oolong), Flavored blends, Dessert teas, Rooibos, Green, Black
Dislikes: Spices, Peppery flavors, Cloves, Cardamom, Licorice, Peppermint, Cinnamon, Mate, Puerh

My Rather Picky Ratings
90+ – Reserved for the very best! Always in the cupboard!
80-89 – Quite good! A very pleasing cup.
70-79 – Room for improvement, but not bad.
60-69 – Mediocre.
50-59 – Bad. Will not purchase.
49 & below – Depending on the more specific rating: Undrinkable. Yuck. Will not purchase.

Note: Teas in my cupboard are all of the teas that I’ve logged, regardless of their current presence in my actual cupboard. For an updated list on what teas I have available for swap, check out the swap thread and not my cupboard! Thanks!

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