Chilli Chilli Bang Bang

Cteresa was kind enough to supply me with some more flavoured rooibos samples. Two of them I’m eager to try and one not so much. This one would be the not so much. It has many things in it that I don’t much care for. Still I decided to do this one first because that was the only way I could think of to make sure it didn’t languish forever in the sample box. And I did want to try a new rooibos blend.

So I’m giving it a cautious go. Last time I gave something I fully expected to dislike a cautious go, I ended up giving it 90+ points, after all.

Well, the aroma is strong. Cinnamon and ginger are right there at the forefront, and I haven’t even put my nose anywhere near the cup yet. It smells uncannily like mulled wine, which I’m finding a little strange. Upon closer olfactory inspection, I can also pick up some pepper in there. I have to say, the aroma does nothing to quell my fears. (Sugar on standby)

It’s not as spicy as I initially feared, but it does have a rather strong ginger-y note, with some cinnamon behind it. There is a small prickle of chili and pepper, just enough that I can feel it on my tongue, but not enough to be burning.

It’s not as bad as I feared, but it’s definitely not one for me either. There are too many things in this that I don’t really want anywhere near my teas or herbals. Ginger most especially. I like ginger okay in food or in some baking, when it’s not a primary flavour but merely adding a zing of something to the dish. I feel the same way about garlic, really. On it’s own or in something where it’s a heavy flavour? Not so much.

I find it drinkable as it is, but just barely. Still I eventually decided against trying it with some sugar, because I just couldn’t imagine sugar being able to do anything about my problems with it, and I thought I’d probably just risk making it completely useless to me.

No, definitely not for me. Sorry, Cteresa.

My favourite rooibos tea so far. It’s probably worth mentioning that my gingerbread recipe is adapted by (at least) tripling the amount of ginger, doubling the amount of cinnamon, and adding nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. I LIKE spicy. (And now I’m thinking it should get some pepper and chilli too.)

All that said, the tea is spicy but not overly so! A good rooibos base, with strong but balanced flavours of cinnamon and ginger, and a nice kick of chilli. (I’ve no idea what red thistle adds to the mix – does anyone know what it tastes like?) I almost always brew this in a large filter bag (Palais des Thés calls the size small, but they’re generous) and leave it in, as rooibos doesn’t get bitter with long steeping. I’ve noticed that when I drink it without milk (it’s good either way) the last little bit of tea has a much more pronounced sweetness than the rest of the cup.

Have re-ordered several times from Yumchaa, and will keep buying as long as they keep selling!

I have been looking for a good spicy-chai rooibos for a while. This is perhaps my 4th attempt at finding a good one, and maybe just maybe, this is the one. The ones I had previously were all wrong, but this is interesting, none of the flavours really overpowers the other and there is a fiery hotness (piquancy?) of chilli there which works, and better than i expected to. I really loved my first cup of this.

This tea makes you soo long for cold weather. I love it I had to share it with my neighbor and she agrees. This tea is got the cinnamon kick and the great flavor. It is ok as an ice but best at 6 am for the wake up and get going tea. Almost makes you wish you could visit England weekly to get these teas.