Oct 19
Review: Local Coffee + Tea Chocolate Honeybush
Chocolate Tea, Honeybush Tea, Local Coffee + Tea Add commentsLynn’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "I did what I seldom do: I added a teaspoonful of raw sugar. It was, of course, sweeter, and the honey and caramel flavors far more pronounced and to a great degree, more satisfying. It took on a creamier, thicker feel, and I did feel like I was drinking caramel and honey, with a touch of chocolate. I think I'm just going to have to finally accept that some teas and tisanes need sugar."
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I’d never heard of honeybush tea before I started reviewing here, and this is my first experience with it.I Wikied “Honeybush” and discovered that this is a plant native to a small area in southern South Africa. The picture showed a plant with a blossom and seed pod very similar to a sweet pea, which are said to smell like honey, giving the plant its name. The tea is made with the leaves.
According to the purveyor’s website, they have mixed the fine textured red honeybush tea with bits of dark chocolate, creamy caramel and yogurt pieces. They were quite small and not readily distinguished, but I could certainly smell them.
Directions for preparation are sketchy at the website, specifying only that it can be steeped up to ten minutes. On my own, I infused a teaspoon of the tea in a cup of 208F water for five minutes. The result was a dark coppery red tisane a fragrance that reminded me of my favorite health food store, very sweet and inviting, with definite notes of chocolate, honey, and vanilla yogurt. As for taste, however . . . Well, not so much. It had a faint, medicine-like taste of cinnamon and a hint of honey and chocolate, that did not live up to its mouth-watering aroma. I’ve been trying to give flavored teas and tisanes more of a chance lately, but have yet to find any with caramel that live up to their sweet, creamy claims.
Disappointed, I began again, and this time infused two teaspoons of the tea for ten minutes. Now I could see little chunks of chocolate and caramel mixed into the red tea. Surely if I used enough the flavors would come through? The resulting liquor was a darker copper, with an even more delicious aroma. The flavor was somewhat stronger, with definite notes of honey, caramel, and to a lesser degree, chocolate. Still underwhelmed, I did what I seldom do: I added a teaspoonful of raw sugar. It was, of course, sweeter, and the honey and caramel flavors far more pronounced and to a great degree, more satisfying. It took on a creamier, thicker feel, and I did feel like I was drinking caramel and honey, with a touch of chocolate. I think I'm just going to have to finally accept that some teas and tisanes need sugar.
As recommended by the website, this would make a good dessert tea. It might also serve as a handy diet aid, since a teaspoon of sugar has only about ten calories, and is more than enough to bring out the richness of this tea. Recommended.
— To purchase Local Coffee + Tea Chocolate Honeybush, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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