Name: Chocolate Mint Flavored Black Tea

Brand: English Tea Store

Type: Black tea, flavored

Form: Loose leaf

Review: Chocolate and mint is a classic pairing and there are more than a few chocolate mint flavored teas on the market, each with its own blend of tea and flavors. Chocolate Mint Flavored Black Tea from the English Tea Store uses black tea as its base, then adds chocolate flavoring and mint leaves. It does have a lovely, chocolate-mint nose and infuses to a dark brown in the cup. On the palate, the tea that is dominated by cool, crisp mint, with chocolate as a backnote. If you are the sort who prefers mint over chocolate, you’ll like this tea. If you are more of a chocolate person, it might not work for you.

Incidentally, this tea is not particularly sweet on its own, which is fine with me, but if you were looking for something that tastes like a Peppermint Pattie, you’ll be disappointed. However, if you do add sweetener, you’ll find that the chocolate notes begin to emerge. Experiment with sweeteners and amounts to get the flavors that you want. You may also want to try adding some milk to your cup  to create a decent substitute for a peppermint hot chocolate.

Preparation Tips: The mint in this blend is very strong and can easily overpower the tea. Use boiling water and infuse for three minutes at the most unless you really, really like mint.

Serving Tips:  As the English Tea Store notes in its website copy, this tea is best served hot. I’d also recommend sipping it on its own as a low-calorie alternative to dessert or as a mid-afternoon treat. The mint, in particular, is too strong for this tea to make a suitable pairing with other foods.

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