59
drank Thai Chai by Adagio Teas
865 tasting notes

I’m nervous about trying this tea. I don’t like coconut, but came in a sampler set that I got so it’s not like I intentionally bought it per se. I knew I’d like the other ones in the sampler so I hoped for the best with this one.

When I open the tin I’m even more worried. The only thing I can smell is the coconut. No spices. No lemon grass. No ceylon black tea.

Since this has large pieces of flavoring, I decided to measure it by the teaspoon instead of the industry standard of 2.25g/serving. I steep it in 6oz boiling purified water for 5 min.

The tea has a medium amber color, kind of surprising for a ceylon.

The sent when steeped is definitely of coconut… I hope I don’t regret wasting this teaspoon of tea.

While I’m not a fan of coconut, assuming a person drinking it would like it does, I’m very glad I measured the tea by the teaspoon (it’s more dense than 2.25g/teaspoon). Served unsweetened.

It’s a very weak tea, but I’m not sure if I’d prefer it stronger or not. The first thing that hits me is the coconut of course. Second, I taste the lemongrass… well kinda… I really only taste the grass part of the lemongrass. Finally the spices, but it’s not really the flavor the spices. It just burns my throat. There is absolutely no flavor of the black tea, infact because of the “grass” part of the lemongrass this could be mistaken as a green tea chia.

My conclusions: Do I like it? No. Would someone that likes coconut like it? Probably. Would I like it better stronger? I’m not sure. Would someone else? Probably. Would I drink it again? Probably, if that was my only option. Would I buy it again? No. Serving suggestions: unsweetened, steeped partially or entirely in coconut milk if milk is desired, a touch of pineapple juice or a few (dried, candied, or fresh) pieces added during steeping? More leaf used during steeping? Maybe. I voted it thumbs down because I personally don’t like it and I’m not sure someone else would think it’s strong enough when steeped by industry standards, which would be even weaker than the way I steeped it. I also rate a tea based on number of infusions I can get and I’m leary I’ll be able to get the average of 3 good infusions..

Cofftea

the 2nd infusion surprised me. First, there was virtually no aroma to it. Second, there was almost no coconut in this infusion at all. The lemon that was hiding in the 1st infusion came back as the dominant. Then the sweetness, but not the flavor, of the coconut. And last the warmth of the spice. There was a faint taste of tea, but it was more of a sencha then a ceylon

Jillian

I find it actually tastes quite good just with regular skim milk. You’re right in that it doesn’t have the harsh spices of a Masala chai but I personally felt the tea was plenty strong for what it was supposed to be and that the flavours mixed nicely. Maybe try fiddling around with the amounts and the steeping time?

Cofftea

The 3rd infusion was a lot like the 2nd. 1 min extra steeping time as always (up to 7 now). No aroma. When I take my 1st sip it tastes like a light lemon herbal tea. Then about halfway I get to the spices that are oddly stronger than the 2nd steeping, yet lighter than the 1st. Still no black tea taste to speak of. These leaves are dead. 3 infusions max here, if that.

Cofftea

Thanks Jillian, but I don’t like this tea enough weak to want to fiddle around and possibly waste more tea due to me liking it even less. And I tend to drink teas that taste good when prepared to industry standards.

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Cofftea

the 2nd infusion surprised me. First, there was virtually no aroma to it. Second, there was almost no coconut in this infusion at all. The lemon that was hiding in the 1st infusion came back as the dominant. Then the sweetness, but not the flavor, of the coconut. And last the warmth of the spice. There was a faint taste of tea, but it was more of a sencha then a ceylon

Jillian

I find it actually tastes quite good just with regular skim milk. You’re right in that it doesn’t have the harsh spices of a Masala chai but I personally felt the tea was plenty strong for what it was supposed to be and that the flavours mixed nicely. Maybe try fiddling around with the amounts and the steeping time?

Cofftea

The 3rd infusion was a lot like the 2nd. 1 min extra steeping time as always (up to 7 now). No aroma. When I take my 1st sip it tastes like a light lemon herbal tea. Then about halfway I get to the spices that are oddly stronger than the 2nd steeping, yet lighter than the 1st. Still no black tea taste to speak of. These leaves are dead. 3 infusions max here, if that.

Cofftea

Thanks Jillian, but I don’t like this tea enough weak to want to fiddle around and possibly waste more tea due to me liking it even less. And I tend to drink teas that taste good when prepared to industry standards.

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Are you a company or tea blender on sites like Adagio that would you like your tea reviewed? If so, please e-mail me @ [email protected].

What I most enjoy from obtaining samples from companies to review is that it helps me to better learn to drink and review teas from a more objective perspective, meaning more of the “This tea is…” point of view rather than the “I like/don’t like” this tea. I feel objectivism in tea reviews is EXTREMELY important because no two tea drinkers tastes are exactly the same. I’ve also been extremely surprised by several teas. I love recieving a sample I think I will be only writing an objective review on, only to completely fall in love with it upon tasting it.

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Tea tastes:
I will ALWAYS pick loose leaf over tea bags. I only drink bagged tea if that’s my only choice or I find a flavor that I can’t find a loose leaf version for. When I do drink bagged; however, I always weigh my bag and am constantly curious as to the weight/flavor ratio- sometimes I am quite surprised by the flavor punch of light bags.

I have a preference for organic and fair trade teas (preferably both), but would never pass up an amzing tea just because it isn’t organic and/or fair trade.

I love savory teas.

I’m currently searching for a chai flavored soy powder or a soy based chai mix (either already mixed or a recipe).

I hardly EVER sweeten my teas. I feel that sweeteners (unless flavored like tea honeys, brown sugar, ice cream topping syrups, flavored coffee syrups, etc) do not add anything to the flavor profile of tea- in fact, I’ve found that they dumb down the flavors.

I NEVER serve my tea over regular iced cubes- I always make tea cubes.

I LOVE cooking w/ tea and making smoothTEAS.

I LOVE tea blending.

I rarely drink herbal teas unless they are mixed with true teas. My favorite herbals to mix with true teas are: spearmint, peppermint, lemongrass, rose hips, and gingeroot.

I can’t stand anything w/ fennel or anise. Hot black teas (except orange pekoe bagged tea that you get when you go out to eat and chai teas) tend to upset my stomach.

I drink matcha daily and love flavoring it. I’m also in a constant search of preflavored matchas.

I’m constantly searching for information on how to prepare tea authentically according to its country of origin.

My Tasting Notes Ratings (edited 8/8/10)
1: I can’t even stand the raw leaf enough to make this (I’ve never owned a tea w/ this rating, but I’ve smelled some before buying resulting in me NOT buying them that were that bad)

2: I steeped this tea but couldn’t stand the aroma enough to get it past my nose

3: I immediately gagged at the 1st sip and spit it out.

4: I manageed to get the 1st sip down, but I tossed the rest.

5: I drank the 1st cup but I can’t bring myself to resteep

6: Made it thru the entire set of infusions but I can’t bring myself to tinker w/ the parameters and won’t be making it again.

7-10: Does not taste anything like the ingredients or name suggests (i.e. Adagio’s Sour apple)

11-25: I can taste some of the ingredients, but the flavor is severely lacking

25-49: Teas that I would not consider bad in their flavor profile, but certainly below average

50: Average.

51-69: Teas above averge, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling them “good”.

70-75: Very good, but still room for improvement

76-85: Above average flavor profile

86-90: REALLY good flavors

91-99: Almost PERFECTLY achieves the goal of the ingredients and name of the tea.

100: Abosolutely perfect teas!

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