Chocolate Honeybush

This tea is just really good! It isn’t too sweet, but it does help to quell any sweet cravings in the evenings. My husband also really loves this tea, even though he doesn’t usually like chocolate. This also re-steeps fairly well for a caffeine-free option.

Chocolate hits me as I open the cute little tin, the tea looks soft and inviting as I measure out 1.5 tsp. This is a really nice way to end the day. Caffeine free goodness in my cup. Nice and delicate chocolate taste. Will gladly repurchase when this sample is done.

Ummm, the leaves are turning yellow…

And this is the perfect tea for that occassion. A perfect reflection of autumn colors in a tea cup: http://bit.ly/bznuZw

This tea was sheer dessert-like badassery. Latte the shit out of it.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/11/06/review-sanctuary-t-shop-chocolate-honeybush-2/

I am not a huge fan of chocolate teas, but I had to try this one after a sniff! It smelled less like a chocolate bar, and more like cocoa – and the taste matched! I really enjoyed the fact that I could drink it before going to bed (yay 4 caffeine free Honeybush!). The only criticisms that I have are that the tin is difficult to get into, and I managed to spill about 3 cups worth of the tea when the lid finally did pop off, and there were no brewing instructions included with the tin – and with me being to lazy to go down to the computer I was forced to guess at the temps. But otherwise, a great tea!

Backlogging

_Experience buying from Sanctuary T http://steepster.com/places/2940-sanctuary-t-online-new-york-new-york?visit=1642

Age of leaf: Unknown; received this as a free sample after a mishap with shipping.

Packaging: simple transparent bag with a thin cardboard top with the company name and the name of the tea.

Aroma of dry leaf: Very aromatic.

Brewing guidelines: In sixteen-OZ ceramic cup with metal basket strainer; stevia added.
……….1st: Just off the boil; 3’
……….2nd: boiling; 5’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: looks like the color of chocolate and smells like chocolate.

Flavor of tea liquor: Tasty, chocolaty, but some flavor in here doesn’t quite go well with the chocolate.

Overall: It’s, OK, but not what I was hoping for. I like their straight rooibos better than this. Still, not a bad tasting tea.

Dry honeybush roots have a naturally reddish-brown, woody look. However, I was surprised at how dark Sanctuary T’s Chocolate Honeybush appeared in the sample bag. Maybe the chocolate bits enhance the brown tones a little more. The dark background also allows the pink rose petal specks to stand out visually.

Now, considering this drink’s name, guess which smell delighted this tea and chocolate lover as soon as she opened the bag? Ohhhhhhhhhh yes! It’s not a sugary chocolate scent, though. Instead, It’s more like cocoa, raw and slightly nutty. The wood and honey notes from the honeybush also bloom through, giving this blend a warm and unique sultriness. I can’t detect much of a rose scent… but let’s see what happens when I make my brew.

For my first cup of Chocolate Honeybush, I steep about 1.5 teaspoons in 8 ounces of nearly boiling water for 5 minutes. (I prefer to make my herbal teas with water of 195 degrees Fahrenheit [90 degrees Celcius] instead of 208.) The vibrant reddish-brown infusion is gorgeous and tantalizing, especially with the wood and cocoa notes whispering at my nose. Flavor-wise, this tisane offers equal amounts of cocoa and honeybush, followed by a delightful bittersweet finish. The cocoa complements the wood tones surprisingly well and gets an unexpected boost from the roots’ natural sweetness. I still don’t smell or taste much from the roses, but the lack of either doesn’t detract from the drink.

I’m curious whether a longer brewing time enhances the chocolate flavor, as Sanctuary T suggests. So, I steep a second cup of Chocolate Honeybush for over 6 minutes. The liquor takes on a deeper brown hue; and while the cocoa overtones have strengthened, they don’t overpower the honeybush at all. The two flavors are still evenly balanced – a sort of tea equilibrium. (If “tea-quilibrium” wasn’t a word before, it is now!) I admit that my tongue misses the typical sugariness and silky texture of chocolate. Then again, if Chocolate Honeybush actually was sugary-sweet and silky, it wouldn’t be guilt-free, would it? ;)

Read the full review here: http://bibliophilesreverie.com/2014/11/03/sanctuary-t-chocolate-honeybush-tea/

It’s a nice tea, but I didn’t taste any chocolate. I am really disappointed.