Review: Kalahari’s ChocoLatté Raspberry Truffle

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.   The Subject: ChocoLatté Raspberry Truffle from Kalahari.
(A word of warning: The Website uses a lot of Flash animation, with lots of things moving around with the slightest mouse movement. It’s almost as bad as Arizona Tea’s website. Sometimes bells and whistles don’t enhance the user experience. They just make noise.)

Rating:
Water temperature: 212° F
Steeping time: 5 minutes

Tea type: Rooibos
Scents, flavorings, etc.: dark roasted cacao, natural raspberry flavor, chocolate flavor
Aroma, dry: Cocoa, raspberry
Aroma in the cup, plain: Cocoa, raspberry
Taste, plain: Cocoa, raspberry
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

2nd Infusion: Didn’t do since is bagged

Chilled: Didn’t do

Comments:

Little Yellow Teapot: I took a back seat on the test of these 5 samples. They come in string-and-tag-bags, so my humans steeped directly in the teacup.

On with the review:

This is the first of 5 samples of “teas” (actually, herbal infusions) made with rooibos (redbush). Kalahari is trying variations on a theme.

Rooibos has been recognized for centuries as a healthful drink. Now, Kalahari is working to transition it into the mainstream as a healthier, caffeine-free alternative to sodas and real teas (made from the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis). Hubby and I approached the reviews from that standpoint.

This ChocoLatté Raspberry Truffle is part of their ChocoLatté collection. Made with rooibos, dark roasted cacao, natural raspberry flavor, and chocolate flavor, this is a tasty brew. We steeped it for 5 minutes per the directions on the package.

Chocolate and raspberry are a wonderful combination. Adding them to rooibos is sheer brilliance. Too bad it’s in a bag (they brazenly misname it as a sachet), not loose. Nevertheless, the aroma when you first pull the bag out of its wrapper is a chocolate/raspberry joy. The steeped liquid retained this aroma and carried it through to our tastebuds, totally dominating the rooibos flavor. The effect was a smooth, hot beverage. One down note was the overlingering of the cacao, but it’s a very minor point.

We deducted a half teapot for the organic nonsense (it just reduces acreage production and raises prices) and a half teapot for the company calling this a “tea” instead of an herbal infusion. Actually, hubby thinks that rooibos is special enough to deserve its own term. He suggests “rea” (pronounced “ray”).

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.