72
drank Rhubarb Chai by DAVIDsTEA
15695 tasting notes

So what they say about not judging a book by its cover is probably a good lesson. Well, definitely a good lesson – but yeah, I was reminded of it by this tea. When it was still being called Hot Mamma I had no interest in it, but now that it’s Rhubarb Chai I was apparently intrigued enough to get it To Go.

But some likely needless backstory first; after I got my cab I went to the big mall downtown since I hadn’t been since the Transit Lockout started and there were several things I needed to do such as go to the bank and withdraw rent, mail some tea stuff to people at the post office, and of course make a trip to DAVIDsTEA. I ended up walking away with a good haul:

- 70g Mulberry Magic
- 50g Gold Rush
- 20g Ginger Pear
- 20g Garcinia Goodness
- 10g Pumpkin Patch
- 10g Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Rhubarb Chai TO GO

And then, because I spent over $30 I also got a free Iconic Canvas bag. It’s pretty nice quality, and even though it’s pretty well just free DT advertising, I like DT and will likely use it for a work bag. I also wanted to get a sample of Poached Pear and 50g of Cocoa Canela but my store had neither. Also, I was initially gonna do Pumpkin Cheesecake as a latte but my store’s fridge was broken so they had no milk on hand to make a latte. This was the back up choice – picked it because I like rhubarb but it was still out of my comfort zone what with the ginger and chai elements.

The initial taste was very present and distinct ginger but it wasn’t unsettling – just powerful. That faded into a fruity rhubarb flavour similar to the rhubarb in Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait, but highly sweetened with licorice root. I like licorice root, but it’d likely be way too much for someone who doesn’t. The licorice root lingers long after the end of the sip.

Definitely a sweeter dessert Chai, and I liked it. No way I’d stock up, but I’d certainly drink it again if I was offered some.

albertocanfly

Why is there a Transit Lockout going on?

Roswell Strange

The transit Union workers contracts expired, and the Union and the city couldn’t reach an agreement for a new contract – so to pressure the Union into accepting a smaller wage/benefits increase the city locked them out during the negotiation process. It’s been about two weeks since the lockout began, and there’s no sign of it letting up anytime soon.

albertocanfly

Oh, gosh….>.< I really hope for the sake of all commuters that it ends soon!

VariaTEA

Don’t worry, you have a sample of poached pear coming in the mail or at least you will when I drop the package off later today

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Comments

albertocanfly

Why is there a Transit Lockout going on?

Roswell Strange

The transit Union workers contracts expired, and the Union and the city couldn’t reach an agreement for a new contract – so to pressure the Union into accepting a smaller wage/benefits increase the city locked them out during the negotiation process. It’s been about two weeks since the lockout began, and there’s no sign of it letting up anytime soon.

albertocanfly

Oh, gosh….>.< I really hope for the sake of all commuters that it ends soon!

VariaTEA

Don’t worry, you have a sample of poached pear coming in the mail or at least you will when I drop the package off later today

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

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