8 Delightful Drinks We Tried at the Winter Fancy Food Show

Unlike other instant chai teas on the market, Tipu's Chai Now Sweetened Chai Tea Blend ($11) has spice particles you can see and taste in its spicy-sweet mix. We tried ours with soy milk, and it rivals any store-bought chai latte for its rich body, balanced tannins, and authentic, peppery kick.

Mountain Valley makes our go-to sparkling water — we prize it for its clean flavor and perfect-size bubbles. So, it was hardly surprising to find that we were similarly enamored with its new flavored sparklers, including Mountain Valley Sparking Water Blackberry Pomegranate.

Last year, we tried its tamarind drinking vinegar and found it fun but a bit too sweet for our liking. However, this year, we tried Pok Pok Som's newest flavor of the line, Thai Basil ($15), with much more success. The pink potion tastes, as promised, like floral Thai basil with a sweet, slightly acidic aftertaste. Those weaning off sodas (who also appreciate Asian flavors) will love this niche item. We suspect it'd also be great in a cocktail.

Whenever we walked past Silk Road Teas booth, there was a crowd gathered around. Granted, it was hardly surprising, given the quality of its Chinese teas like Silk Road Teas Tieguanyin Oolong Tea ($8), an aromatic oolong, and Silk Road Teas Yunnan Black ($8) a malty, delicate black tea that's best served without milk or sweetener.

Lately, tea cocktails have been popping up on the menus of many of our favorite watering holes. To bring the flavor home, we'll be experimenting with Owl's Brew, a line of concentrated teas designed for mixing 2:1 with liquors like tequila, gin, and whiskey. Our favorite: Owl's Brew Pink & Black ($16) a black tea, strawberry, and hibiscus concoction that adds juicy, elegant sweetness to cocktails.

Out Feb. 3, The Republic of Tea Dandelion SuperHerb Tea ($13) has a touch of French vanilla added to its mix. That combined with the caramelized flavor of dandelion root will trick your taste buds into thinking you're drinking birthday-cake-flavored tea.

One sip of the British Fever-Tree Handpicked Elderflower Tonic Water ($24 for eight), and you'll be hooked for life. English elderflower essential oil and Eastern Congo quinine from the fever trees come together to form a bitter sparkling beverage with a sweet, floral finish. Drink it solo for a biting refreshment, or try it in a floral-leaning gin like Hendrick's.

The distribution for Kombucha Wonder Drink India is insanely small, but keep your eye out for this darjeeling- and assam-tea-based beverage. Brewed with green cardamom, fresh ginger, Indian rose, and tulsi, it's the best chai kombucha we've tried yet.