T2 Hot Date Chai Loose Leaf Gift Cube

I was vacillating whether to buy this tea again because of some recent reviews that said the tea was not as good as previous and too full of dates. Having only recently used the last of the original (it was still good!), I have found this batch tastes very similar. The slight chilli zing, a pepperminty chocolatey spicey-ness and not too datey at all. (I'm not sure if the peppermint element that I sense is from the cocoa nibs or a spice in the mix.)Yes, this tea is light on tea leaves and you do need to steep it a bit longer. I like it as a late afternoon drink because it's lighter on tea, and it's also very nice made into an iced tea. I also can't help but fish some of the cocoa nibs out at the end to eat!

I have been buying this particular blend for years as it is my absolute favourite. However my most recent purchase was hugely disappointing. There is way too much fruit and not nearly enough tea leaves (almost none at all), It is seriously just chunks of date. There is also no longer any chilli kick, which is kind if the whole point of this blend in my opinion. It simply tastes like hot weak fruit water. Like you soaked a bag of mixed dried fruit in water and then drank it. What happened???

Sweeter than my regular and traditional Chai’s, I like to brew my Hot Date Chai over the stove on a steady low heat. This tends to bring out the fruitier elements of the blend. While delicious on its own, I love pairing this chai stove brew with soy or skim dairy milk which add a little sweetness and creamy fullness. If you’re feeling a little under the weather, this is one of my go-to winter sips; add cracked black pepper, cinnamon, and chilli measured to your liking while the brew is hot on the stove and an optional small teaspoon of honey to stir