Chocolate Phoenix Chai

Ok, here goes nothing! I hate to say this, but I like this chai more than the Laoshan Village chai. To me, it seems like the spice notes are a little bit more tame. While my taste buds may not be fully trained, and my tea vocab may not be as descriptive as it could be, I will try my best to describe what I think is going on here. The base of this chai is a little subdued, with a great balance of spice. I can pick out the cardamom, saffron, and a great aftertaste of cacao! I have yet to find the vanilla notes, but I attribute that to my overall inexperienced palate.

If you have had the Laoshan chai and loved it(which I did) you need to try this Chocolate Phoenix chai! You will not be disappointed! Thank you David for another amazing tea!

From my swap with Azzrian.

I had this one yesterday, just did two steeps of around a minute each. 2 to 5 seconds? Really? That doesn’t even give me time to put the kettle back on its base! (Our kitchen is small, I usually make tea on the dining room table next to all my tea shelves). But, when I have more time and patience I might have to give it a try.

My favourite part of this one so far? The oolong base. So smooth and creamy, not over powering or lost in the blend. Lovely and smooth. I actually didn’t get a chocolate taste ( though I must confess, as a bit of a chocoholic I really need it present before I’m impressed). The chai blend was a bit unusual for my taste. I guess I’m more used to traditional Indian blends so the herbs in this one threw me a bit. And they were quite soft, where I prefer my chais to have a bit of a kick in them. Though the spices and herbs were perfectly balanced with the oolong.

Verdict? I think I need to try this again, and be more patient and observant. Perhaps use the instructions on the bag! But an interesting cuppa. Rating to come later…

Backlog from yesterday evening. Delicious! I really wish I’d picked up more of this when it was around.

This is a really good tea, but I couldn’t see myself preparing this as a traditional chai masala. I would not add sweetener to this, because it is already very sweet.

I purchased two gaiwans very inexpensively recently, because I have been wanting to try brewing that way, and I wanted to try some pu-ers. So I ordered those from one vendor, and some various teas from Verdant. The gaiwans came during the week and I got them washed and ready to use.

I got the package of teas right before my guests arrived for a party I hosted yesterday for my doll club, so I could not dive right in. I put the package on the counter in the kitchen to open later. For some reason, my husband decided to open it while the party was going, and I got to giggle at him pulling out bags and trying to pronounce things like “Mi Lan Xiang” and “Shui Xian Wuyi.”

After the guests left, I broke out the Chocolate Phoenix Chai and gave it a try in my 4 oz gaiwan. It’s the perfect size for my tiny hands. Since the directions on the package are for a gaiwan type brewing, I gave it a try. It was all right, but that method just did not brew up as something I would describe as either “chocolate” or “chai.” Good but different. The steeping times were really short when done as per the package.

There are big green pieces in there that I think are the cacao nibs, and lots of other various bits and pieces. It’s a really interesting looking tea. It doesn’t smell chocolaty to me, or malty. It does smell good, but just not like chocolate to me.

I will try a “regular” steeping on my next cup of this, and see if the chocolate comes out for me.

Magical is one word I’d use to describe Chocolate Phoenix Chai.

I wasn’t really sure what the expect when I got this tea (I just wanted free shipping).

I’ve had other chocolate chai’s before. Most of them are just a standard chai with chocolate flavor attached.

This chai is different. The chocolate flavor feels natural to the tea. Everything blends together well to create a comforting and warming tea. It doesn’t have a massive kick of spice, and it doesn’t have an overpowering chocolate sensation. Chocolate Phoenix Chai has the right amount of everything to make it a wonderful tea.

The description above suits the tea perfectly.

I drank it with milk and sugar (I don’t have honey). And it was delicious. I loved all of the different flavors that came out. I also tried it with condensed milk. The condensed milk hid some of the more subtle flavors, but it was still good (something I’d cuddle up to bed with).

All in all, I’m ordering more before they run out. Definitely sharing this with friends and my next tea party.

mmmm, this one is amazing. It is a very good chai, and then you get notes of vanilla and a bit of vanilla. It’s a perfectly made chai too, the tea, cardamon, ginger, and cloves all melding perfectly.

Holy moly! Now THIS is the chai I’ve been dreaming of — the nose of the dry leaves is divinely spicy and complex and follows through in the aroma of the steep. I was not disappointed at first sip … looking forward to trying this with honey and milk, to further develop this tea’s potential.

Finally opened up one of my Verdant Teas from my first order! It’s a really fluffy tea what with flowery things and spice pods so things kept falling out of my spoon. I figured I should err on the side of caution so I added more. I broke in my David’s Tea cup too :D The smell is spicy and at first I wasn’t sure that I brewed it long enough because the color was so light. I am drinking it just with water but I think it’s really tasty – spicy but smooth. I would like to try the milk and honey sometime that sounds yummy.

As is true for many chai tea lovers, I am always trying to find that perfect blend. After reading the reviews of this one on this site, I had to try it. The tea itself is visually beautiful and smells like it has plenty of cardamom and ginger to make me happy, but I’m a little worried about the short steeping time that is suggested because I love my chai spices to be able to stand up to some milk & honey.

After 2 minutes of steeping, the tea smells mostly floral and is a light gold in color. Mixed with some honey and milk, the flavor I get is mostly oolong with a slight aftertaste of ginger and cardamom. It’s lovely, but not as bold as I usually like my chai. I think I’ll try cold brewing some tonight to see if that makes it a little stronger.