Aztec Spice (Mayan Hot Chocolate Tea)

I stared at my tea cupboard for awhile in a daze this morning. I still can’t taste much so I needed something strong flavored. I really wanted something spicy but the only truly spicy tea I have is the Butiki’s Winter fire, but I wanted something rich and possibly chocolaty. I thought about going crazy and mixing a few together but knew I’d end up with something too strange to enjoy. Suddenly I saw a tiny little sample tin in my sample drawer that I barely ever notice anymore because its made with chocolate and puehr. Two things I thought I didn’t like.

It was finally time to give this one a go. And man. This is a keeper. It is very similar in it’s bready cinnamon quality to my new favorite cinnamon swirl bread, but then has a thick chocolatey layer on top. And the best of all, it has some chili’s in there to add some kick. Nothing nearly as hot as winter’s fire (which I really enjoy) but the flavor is there and lingers just a bit. I really like this and will be adding it to my regulars list. I can imagine sitting by a fire during a rainstorm (I wish it was snow, but in Oregon, we get rain) and sipping on this all night. Love.

Update: Steep #2 Not as spicy or chocolaty, but still very cinnamony.

Holy sweet spice! As TastyBrew said in her note to me on this tea, it’s kinda strange! Thanks, TastyBrew for the surprise sample! I kind of like this strange tea! I didn’t realize it was a puerh until I looked it up. The first spice that hits you is the cinnamon, but this tea has a whole lot more going on. It’s definitely spicy, but kind of in a chai sort of way, with a little heat. I think the chocolate rounds it out. It is not a subtle tea. Best when you need a little punch!!

Cinnamon, bread, chocolate – that’s what you smell first. Also, earthy due to the Pu-Erh base and this all results in a very unusual combination. This is good! Would not want to drink every day but definitely want it in my tea pantry.

What initially intrigued me about this tea, other than it’s close resemblance to Mayan Hot Chocolate, is that it uses pu-erh for a base. Finding a pu-erh blend that I enjoy has been a lot harder to accomplish than I thought it would be. I’ve been searching for one that I could drink every day for the better part of a year. The problem is that most of the ingredients in pu-erh blends seem to clash somewhat with the deep earthy flavor, but when I saw the description I knew it was a match made in heaven. The ground chocolate and cacao nibs don’t add a ton of flavor, instead they contribute a subtle sweetness and hint of chocolate. The flavor that takes center stage is the cinnamon. I found this a little disappointing because there is so much cinnamon that it tends to take over and mask the other flavors, including the little kick that the chili flakes add. Even though there is a little too much cinnamon for my tastes it’s still an absolutely delicious blend. Although, if you aren’t accustomed to the combination of chocolate and chilies together it may take some time to adjust to the different flavors.

You can read the whole review on my blog
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2014/4/29/tuesday-tea-aztec-spice-art-of-tea.html