SNOW!!!! There is a light dusting of snow on the ground and this makes me happy. I might feel like utter garbage today but I am so happy because of snow. I suffer from SAD, Snow Absence Depression, if it is Winter I want there to be a constant blanket of snow, I really think I need to move farther north. Today’s tea review will warm you up vicariously if you are in a cold climate and, well, if you are somewhere warm just remember that it is frequently very warm in India, Chai’s homeland.
Yes, it is still Pu-Erh week, but I am bringing in a bit of spice! Pu-Erh Chai by Golden Moon Tea is a mix of traditional Chai spices and aged Pu Erh, and can I just point out that their website is very helpful with notes on who would like this tea and various features of the tea. Bravo, Golden Moon Tea, you get one of my (not really since I just invented it) coveted ‘Awesomely Helpful Website’ awards. The aroma of this tea is deliciously spicy cardamon and cinnamon blended with rich earthiness of Pu Erh, the spices are well balanced and blend very well with Pu Erh’s natural aroma. There is also a mild underlying ‘Asian Market’ aroma and an even fainter metallic hint.
The brewed tea leaves’s aroma is richly earthy, loamy and oaky with strong notes of cardamon. It is like the blending of a forest floor and spice and that is an unusual but wonderful combination. Oddly it is one of those teas that reminds me of my time mushroom hunting, you would be surprised how many mushrooms smell spicy. The liquid is also very rich and intensely spiced, mostly cardamon. There is also an underlying creaminess and notes of oak wood, less forest floor more fresh cut wood.
The taste is very sweet, like spiced candy. I mostly detect cardamon with a surprisingly gentle hint of cinnamon, there is also a very rich earthiness. There is absolutely no bitterness at all, this tea is very smooth, I almost feel like I am drinking silk. All of the flavors present in this tea are well balanced and when paired with the traditional cream it turns into a decadent Chai experience that is unlike any other I have ever had. There is a gentle oaky aftertaste that fades into a lingering loam, the mouthfeel is surprisingly tingly since it feels like the tingle of a lot more cinnamon that was present in the taste. This is a new favorite Chai!
For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2013/12/golden-moon-tea-pu-erh-chai-tea-review.html
