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Kelmishka drank Chai Charge by English Tea Shop

397 tasting notes

English Tea Shop Advent Calendar: Day 1

I’ve never tried anything from this brand, but my partner’s mom gifted me their advent calendar this year, so I guess I’ll be trying quite a few blends!

So this one is a rooibos-based chai that includes garlic among its many ingredients. I ended up letting it get far too cool before drinking it because I was trying to wrangle my very needy pets, so I’m probably not giving it a fair shake. But I’m mostly getting a weak rooibos flavor with only a smidge of other spices, followed by a mild garlic burn. It’s just kind of muddy overall. Not something I’d seek out again, but not overly offensive.

Flavors: Garlic, Mud, Rooibos

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4 comments

Kaylee
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…. garlic? I absolutely adore garlic, but it seems like a weird addition to a chai blend.

Nattie
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Lol, I’m currently trying to finish off last year’s ETS advent calendar, and boy was I glad to see the back of this one. You described exactly what I got from this tea, only I found it more offensive than you did XD

Nattie
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PS – I look forward to seeing your reviews of the other teas in the calendar, and seeing how it compares to my own thoughts and to last year’s selection! This is definitely my least favourite from the calendar, and I can’t believe they started with it on day one this year! That’s rough.

Kelmishka
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Kaylee, right?!? I’m not OPPOSED to a bit of garlic, but it doesn’t seem necessary.

Nattie, yes, including it for Day 1 is a real choice! :D

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Comments

Kaylee
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…. garlic? I absolutely adore garlic, but it seems like a weird addition to a chai blend.

Nattie
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Kelmishka
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Kaylee, right?!? I’m not OPPOSED to a bit of garlic, but it doesn’t seem necessary.

Nattie, yes, including it for Day 1 is a real choice! :D

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Bio

(she/her)

I was an anxious child who didn’t like change, so when my parents flew across the country for my grandfather’s wedding and left us kids with my aunt and uncle, I was a nervous wreck. Our first night at their house was tough. I couldn’t sleep, so I got up and padded into the kitchen, where my aunt was puttering around. She could tell I was distressed and offered to make me a cup of tea. It was just Celestial Seasonings’ peppermint tea, but it was exactly what I needed. The tea itself, the comfort it represented, the ritual of making it… I was enchanted. I’ve loved tea ever since.

I’m partial to strong, intense flavors and prefer loose-leaf to bagged, but I also appreciate the convenience of bags and sachets. I mostly drink my tea straight but once in a blue moon I’ll add a little plant-based milk, generally oat.

I live in Maryland, USA, with my partner, three dogs, and one cat. I’ve actually been a Steepster reader for years and years, but only started posting in late 2021. :)

When I’m not drinking tea (or sometimes WHILE I’m drinking tea!) I’m reading, rewatching comfort shows, going for a run, knitting, embroidering, hiking, or puttering in the garden. You can find me on Instagram at @kelmishka. (My account is private, but feel free to send a request!)

Favorite ingredients, flavors, etc.

Maple (all-time fave flavor!), vanilla, caramel, and all things dessert-y

Jasmine, lavender, violet, and most floral flavors

Most spices, although I go through phases and sometimes get bored of generic-feeling winter spice blends

Most fruity flavors

Matcha and other vegetal flavors

Not-so-favorite ingredients, flavors, etc.

Bergamot (…although it’s been growing on me lately!)

Hibiscus

Overly artificial flavors (banana, coconut, mango)

Overly herbacious blends, although this varies!

Stevia, monkfruit, and other sugar-alternative sweeteners — blech

Chocolate — it’s hard to get it right in tea, though I love real chocolate!

Animal products, including honey (long-time vegan checking in!)

My ratings

90-100: The best! Will almost definitely repurchase.

75-90: Really good, and potentially worthy of a restock.

60-75: Decent, if not terribly memorable.

50-60: In the “meh” range, but possibly for personal taste reasons.

35-50: I’m not a fan, and this is not very good tea.

20-35: Varying degrees of bad.

1-20: Actively bad. Like really bad. I can’t imagine anyone disagreeing.

Location

Maryland, USA

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