Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
To Contact Indonique, visit their Blog.
Editor’s Note: I wrote this review several months ago, and at the time of writing, I discovered that the Indonique website forwarded directly to their blog. It would appear that Indonique no longer offers this chai. However, I do encourage you to visit Indonique’s blog as it is a fantastic resource for information about tea, and it would appear that they do offer some teas on their blog as well.
Taster’s Review:
This evening, I decided to steep this using the “stove top” method. That is the method of simmering the tea leaves in a milk or milk/water combination and then straining the leaves.
I don’t usually use this method, because, well, it’s messy. I don’t like to make a mess in the kitchen. Well, it isn’t really that I don’t like to make a mess in the kitchen, it is that I don’t like to have to clean up the mess afterward. But, for whatever reason, I decided that I was going to make a mess (and now I have to clean it up).
Mostly, I think I wanted to compare results between having steeped this tea strong (using more leaf) in water vs. steeping it in the traditional stove top method. (You can read my previous review of this tea that I wrote after having steeped it in water here)
And there is a difference. The tea is much creamier when I steep it via the stove top method. But, it isn’t THAT much better that I want to start making daily messes in the kitchen to achieve the creamier texture.
Because, really, this chai is quite delicious BOTH ways.
The black tea base used in this chai is a Nilgiri tea which provides a strong, rich tea flavor. Nilgiri is a better base than the more-often-used Assam for a chai blend in my opinion. Nilgiri is not as quick to become bitter like Assam. And because the chai needs a little longer to steep to achieve the fullest flavor from the spices, this is a good thing, indeed.
The vanilla adds a luxurious flavor to this chai. It is smooth, it is rich, it is absolutely decadent and delicious! MUCH better than any chai latte that I’ve ever gotten from the local coffee shop. And, because I know what’s going in to it, it is better for me too. I can regulate the amount of honey I use (if I choose to add any at all), and I can also choose what type of milk (and therefore the amount of milk fat) that is used to brew the chai. I don’t have that kind of control at the local coffee shop.
The spices are well-balanced, the vanilla is sweet and creamy, and the Nilgiri tea is rich and robust! What more could you ask of a chai? I am sad that this chai is no longer available, because it is fantastic. But, I am so very glad that I had the opportunity to try it!
