This herb and spice blend from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea is part of their Harvest Herb line of exquisite teas.  Their chocolate chai does not include any real tea leaves; however, the ingredients it does use in this blend are mouthwatering!  Especially if you are a fan of chai teas, because this is a beautiful example of a non-tea-based spiced chai, which  has distinct chocolate tones brought by the carob and chicory.

I think the best way to serve this one is with added sweetener and milk or milk alternative.  I added soy milk and just a dash of turbinado sugar.   Although even if you do not use milk or sweetener, this chai -although spiced- is incredibly smooth to drink.

The most prominent flavor is of cinnamon, followed closely by a nutty chocolate flavor, as I mentioned, from the carob and chicory.  There is a hint of honey in the background flavors,  and I believe this is from the Rooibos in the blend. The ginger is also moderately strong, and you are able to detect it in the brew; however, the licorice is very subtle and harder to detect… I believe it lends a slight sweetness to the blend, but is not recognizable as “licorice” in the flavor profile.

Zhena’s Gypsy Tea describes this tea as:

Our Harvest Herb Teas are bountiful blends of fresh, hand-harvested herbs, wildcrafted flowers, choicest fruits, leaves and spices, all USDA Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified(TM). Each cup will delight the senses and will have you hearing leaves crunching underfoot and smelling the scent of wood smoke wafting the chill air. Amber moon on the horizon not included.

Ingredients: From the Cedarberg Mountain Region of South Africa comes this superior grade, caffeine-free organic Rooibos, blended with the rich, exotic taste of Mediterranean carob and the zest of ginger and cinnamon bark. Chicory and licorice root, round out this delicious thick, warming cup. Wonderful with a splash of milk.

Embossed recyclable air tight tin containing 22 sachets of certified 100% fair trade and organic tea.

This is a nicely rounded chai tea, with the high quality typical of Zhena’s Gypsy Teas, and although the description only mentions the sachets, they  offer this as a loose leaf tea also, which I prefer to the sachets, even though the sachets are perhaps more convenient.  This is a wonderful wintertime tea to warm you up on cold November nights!