New teas today!
So, Kittenna actually beat me to writing about this one – stores were handing out teaser samples of it for a while, and then it was soft launched along with the rest of the Chai collection, but I waited until today (the official launch date) to put up my own tasting notes!
As I’ve said for the last few year’s Chai Collections – I don’t like Chai. It’s just really not my thing; spiced teas have to be really particular to speak to me. However, I understand why we put out new Chai blends every year – it’s a very autumnal thing, and it makes a lot of people who aren’t me very happy. I can respect that! However, I’ll keep my note minimal because this isn’t a collection I’ve tasted a lot/will be tasting a lot…
I think this is a pretty well balanced Chai – it’s a little cinnamon heavy, like a lot of Chai from DT tends to be – I think this is because cinnamon is such a commercial flavour on top of being a spice that a lot of people tend to feel VERY comfortable and familiar with. However, aside from being slightly more cinnamon dominant it’s also got notes of ginger, cardamom, and a tiny, tiny bit of pepperiness. I think it’s got a lot of body, and has a really full and brisk flavour. The maple is present, but it’s not really all that sweet/intense – my first experience with this tea I was basically expecting it to be oozing sugary sweet and rich maple the same way that Maple Syrup Oolong does, but comparatively this is really subdued and less ‘sticky sweet’. If you were in the camp of people who found Maple Syrup Oolong too rich, this could be a better maple tea for you! Not to say it’s not sweet – but it’s a deeper, denser sweet tempered by the spice and a subtle, but aromatic, citrus note. It reminds me of “old school” DT blends a little bit too – like Glitter & Gold meets Maple Sugar!?
I’ve had it hot and as a latte at this point – I actually like it better hot because I think you get a bit more complexity. However, it’s still a damn smooth latte and I think that adds a nice thickness and creaminess to compliment the full bodied spices.
Not my favourite blend (as I said, I don’t do Chai very much) but I respect this one a lot compositionally – and I’m excited to see what other’s think of it!
Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.
