Part of a sampler provided by DAVIDs on my most recent order – and one I had no intention of trying but I am very glad they pushed me a free cup! In the past I have had some negative experience with Rooibos (granted it was lower quality), finding the taste displeasing and more akin to water used to wash macaroni noodles with a hint of something slightly fruity. Coco Chai Rooibos tastes absolutely nothing like I feared it would.
The dry leaf smell is one of the most pronounced I’ve ever come across, especially for a chai. The coconut and spice notes fill the head pleasingly, even the harsh bite of the peppercorn is welcome in such good company. Once brewed, I took a test sip and noted just how strong the spice profile was. The pink peppercorn stood up front, but the tea was clean enough where you could feel the other flavors swirling around it. The cinnamon coexists with the peppercorn very nicely and segue’s into the sweetness of the cloves and ginger. As the sip completed, a nice refreshing coconut trailed off.
As with other chais, I added milk to the brew to see how it would affect it. The spices hold up better than some other Chais I’ve had but the Coconut is what really stands out when milk is added. It’s delightfully exotic and another excellent chai from DAVIDs. Best of all, it’s caffeine free so you can enjoy it closer to bedtime and not have to worry about being up all night!
