70
drank Chocolate Chai by Adagio Teas
2238 tasting notes

018/365

This came as a free sample with my recent Adagio order. I don’t buy from Adagio much anymore, but I have a soft spot for their fandom blends and I wanted to pick up the Harry Potter and Game of Thrones samplers while they were both in stock. There’s something I have to say for Adagio, though; they dispatched quickly, and it arrived nicely presented, shipping was free, they were generous with the samples, and all the boring but important stuff (invoice, points info card, etc.) was in its own little folder at the bottom. Their tea can be hit and miss sometimes, but their customer service is spot on. I wish every company were as reliable.

I picked this one out this evening because I wanted something warming and comforting, something wintery and sort-of festive, but not super-Christmassy. This one fit the bill.

I made it up as a latte, using 3 tsp of leaf in 250ml boiling water, for 5 minutes. It brews up surprisingly light, given that it’s a black-based tea. I suppose it’s Adagio’s usual Ceylon, so that’s perhaps not too much of a surprise. I added 150ml hot milk, and gave it a light froth with my aerolatte.

It turned out pretty much as I hoped it would. The main flavour is milk chocolate, and it’s not too artificial tasting (although there is an element of that if you really focus on it…) It’s also possible to pick out the cinnamon and ginger, which are the only two chai spices in this blend. The cinnamon is more prominent than the ginger, but both work well with the chocolate. The milk is a good fit – I imagine this is one that’s better as a latte than it would be brewed conventionally (which for me means 1tsp of leaf given 3-4 mins in a mug of hot water, with a splash of milk.) I have a teaspoon of leaf left, though, so I’ll try it like that next time. It’ll be good to compare.

It helps that I have Rolos to go with, and that’s a combination worth coming home for.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 3 tsp

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Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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