Steeped with a heaping tablespoon of leaves at 175 degrees in about 1 cup of water.
This tea was a new experience for me! I’ve tried lots of flavored green teas, but never one where the green tea was a substitute for black tea in a chai blend. As a result of this tea, I’ve realized how different these spices are outside of a conventional chai context and how much I take the black tea base for granted in chai blends!
As it steeps, I can detect a fragrance of spices; it smells like cinnamon and possibly cloves. The tea liquid isn’t very dark. In fact it’s only achieved a pale honeylike color after it’s finished steeping; it’s a little viscous, with nearly invisible flecks (of cinnamon, perhaps?) swimming in it.
The flavor is very different from any chai I’ve ever tried. The spices, instead of melding with a malty black tea flavor to form a rounded flavor profile, are instead mingling with the bright astringent green tea notes (grassy almost, but not much on the floral side that I can detect). This makes for a very focused flavor overall. It’s highly concentrated in the bright and forward flavor notes and not so much rounded out with the deeper tones that a black tea normally imparts to a chai (in my experience). It’s almost bitter, but then again, I may have oversteeped it a bit–I like my chais strong.
With milk, it’s suddenly not very strong at all. It still has spice flavors, but I’m really missing the black tea base here. And I know you aren’t really “supposed” to put milk in green tea, but that’s what I normally do with chai so I figured why not?
So to sum up, don’t expect this to taste like a more conventional chai! Instead, expect a bright, spicy, focused flavor that’s intended to be enjoyed alone or with a little sweetener; I recommend trying it without milk. In fact, I bet this would make a great iced tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Vahdam Teas
Description
A superior blend of fresh green tea from Darjeeling blended with choicest Indian spices like Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove & Black Peppercorns. Discover a smooth fulfilling aroma of fresh greens with delicious undertones of raw spices in every sip. The liquor is bright green with an energizing aroma. A unique chai tea which can be served with or without milk.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Stylish and Spicy: Chai du Kerala from #Nunshen
It goes without saying that a big part of drinking tea is the smell and taste of a good brew, but sometimes the presentation and design of the product can be a nice diversion. This tea from Nunshen arrived in a sleek, modern, well-designed packet. The bilingual instructions come with plenty of stylish symbols alongside the English and French, describing the temperature, brew times, leaf type, and the mood of the tea (Chai du Kerala is marked as, “relaxing”). The muslin teabag adds a soft, handmade touch to the whole experience.
The dry tea and the brew both smell strongly of natural cinnamon sticks, warming up the whole room. It’s a chai tea, and it has the expected heat and spice without being too cluttered. This tea is deceptively fragrant, following me around the house from the kettle to my chair in wafting waves of cinnamon. There is not too much ginger, just enough to add dimension to the cinnamon flavor, and both spices meld well with the earthy, malty, black tea base.
The tea’s package even numbers the blend, like a perfume or a vintage. Chai du Kerala is no. 91 in the flavor listing from Nunshen. With a sleek design and quality tea, I can’t way to try all the other numbered flavors!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nunshen
Description: Love, healing and happiness go hand in hand as you sip on this unique blend. Hints of citrus and earthy tones will recover peace of mind and restore your well being.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Classic Masala Chai from Chai Safari. . . .
I LOVE a good strong black tea. The Classic Masala Chai from Tea Safari is strong and bold without being overwhelming. I found it to be best with milk and sugar – and I used a little more milk than what I usually add to other black teas. The strength of the tea allows for multiple steepings, and the spices seemed to be more prominent upon the second steeping. It pairs well with a sweet treat!
The Chai Safari website is fairly easy to navigate and has a neat feature that shows what the tea leaves look like for each blend. When you click on the leaves, it shows what the tea will look like steeped in a cup. Their prices are very reasonable, and the customer will get the most bang for their buck with free shipping on orders over $50.
I enjoyed this nice cup of tea during a spring evening on the porch – the first evening where it was warm enough to sit outside, yet cool enough to enjoy a nice hot cuppa tea. The Classic Masala Chai was a delightful accompaniment for a lovely evening.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Chai Safari
Description
The Classic Masala Chai is India’s most popular chai. India’s own home grown recipe and consumed as a staple beverage across the country. This blend of exotic spices is the experience that will take you for a trip on this journey. The chai has dominant flavours of dried ginger and cardamom pods with a touch of black pepper’s spicy aftertaste. The sweet undenotes are delivered by cinnamon, Tulsi and a pinch of Saffron.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Turmeric Chai from The Whistling Kettle. . . . .
The experience I had recently with Turmeric Chai from The Whistling Kettle is something I would like to share with you today!
‘ This isn’t your average chai! Why? Because it goes above and beyond with the addition of BOTH turmeric and Tulsi (holy basil). A little bit of each of those ingredients goes a long way! You can see and taste the specks of turmeric and the tulsi is just as wonderful! The dynamic duo surely makes this blend of flavors what it is. And it IS wonderful!
This is a blend of black tea, ginger, and cinnamon, Tulsi (known as Holy Basil), and turmeric.
Tulsi has been used for thousands of years for a variety of purposes – from use in Hindu worship and the healing practices of Ayurveda, to flavoring in Thai cuisine and even as an all-natural insect repellent! Perhaps I should look into some tulsi for my kitchen because the fruit flies are crazy this year!
Turmeric is an integral spice in curry and I adore it! It has been found to contain anti-inflammatory compounds and can increase your body’s antioxidant capacity. Curcumin, the compound that’s responsible for the bright yellow hue, is particularly effective in preventing heart attacks, delaying diabetes, and even fighting cancer.
Black pepper, found in this tea, is often used to boost the amount of curcumin (an active compound in turmeric) that is able to be absorbed into the blood.
Of course we aren’t making any claims here because we aren’t doctors – we are just tea loving beings, folks!
If any or all of this intrigues you THIS is a flavor chai you will WANT to try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Whistling Kettle
Description
What’s better than a piping hot spiced tea? Warm and spicy, this is sure to be a favorite among chai drinkers.
Featuring a blend of black tea, ginger, and cinnamon, this chai incorporates Tulsi (known as Holy Basil) and turmeric for added flavor and health benefits.
Tulsi has been used for thousands of years for a variety of purposes – from use in Hindu worship and the healing practices of Ayurveda, to flavoring in Thai cuisine and even as an all-natural insect repellent!
Turmeric, an integral spice in curry, has been found to contain anti-inflammatory compounds and can increase your body’s antioxidant capacity. Curcumin, the compound that’s responsible for the bright yellow hue, is particularly effective in preventing heart attacks, delaying diabetes, and even fighting cancer.
Black pepper, found in this tea, is often used to boost the amount of curcumin (an active compound in turmeric) that is able to be absorbed into the blood.
Like with all chais – we recommend this with milk and a small amount of sugar to bring out the flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Spiced Apple Chai from Adagio Teas
I feel like i’ve been trying a lot of chai’s lately. Adagio actually has some fabulous vanilla chai cookies. Maybe I will review them in the near future! So keep an eye out. Anyways, Spiced Apple Chai by Adagio- I want to start out this review letting you know what my expectations for this blend were. I was really picturing a cinnamon-y, clove-spiced, ginger-touched apple cider. Maybe a spicier version of apple crisp. I absolutely love cinnamon apples as a side on Thanksgiving. I was hoping that this tea would remind me of that.
I actually can say, honestly, that my expectations of this blend were met! Its funny because one of my first thoughts were that this blend would taste FANTASTIC as a hot latte with some steamed milk and honey. It really does smell like a spicier version of cinnamon apples and apple pie. It is so so good! The black tea is very smooth and not too bold, which you know I love. The spices are very well done, they aren’t overly done or too spicy. I am not usually a fan of ginger, but I really appreciate the taste of ginger in this blend and the way it mingles with the cinnamon and cloves is really nice. I am not usually a fan of orange peel, but I feel like it almost brings out the apple/fruit flavor a little bit more and thankfully doesn’t add any bitterness.
I really feel like I am eating cinnamon apples at Thanksgiving while I drink this. I think that turning this tea into a latte with steamed milk, honey, and a sprinkling of nutmeg would be an amazing fall treat! I will definitely be keeping this tea on the back burner and bringing it out in the fall. A great caffeinated alternative to apple cider. If you like chai tea and you like apple cider, you will LOVE this blend!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Our Spiced Apple Chai features the timeless, comforting combination of apples and spice. A lively blend of black tea, classic spices from Indian Masala Chai and bright notes of crisp apple. Juicy and pleasantly sweet, like warm applesauce, with a clean, refreshing texture. We suggest two heaping teaspoons per 8 oz cup. Sugar, cream or soy if desired.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
