A dear friend who lives in England sent me some teas in the mail, and they’re all teas I’ve never had. The first tea I decided to try is of course Chai. I can never resist a good Chai. With a name like velvety vanilla, how could I not try it? It is a Chai made with black tea, but I threw my caffeine caution to the wind and brewed a cup. This morning was grey and cool so I needed the extra lift anyway.
Awhile back I tried a vanilla Chai and the vanilla flavor tasted very chemical-y. It tasted like the imitation vanilla flavoring with alcohol in it. That is not the case with this vanilla chai. The vanilla flavor is natural tasting and perfectly balanced with the other chai spices. And the vanilla doesn’t overpower the other spices, and vice versa. This was absolutely delicious, I have no complaints at all. It was as close to a perfect cup of tea as you can get.
This flavor is a limited edition flavor, and I really wish it were widely available year round. It is really a special and delicious tea, and it was worth every drop of caffeine! There are a few online shops selling this delicious flavor, and I can’t recommend it enough! It’s definitely my new favorite chai. Because of the vanilla, I only added a splash of coconut milk and no sweetener and it was still perfectly sweet and delicious. It’s also mildly spiced, so for anyone sensitive to spice this would be perfect!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Twinnings
Description
A limited edition indulgent Chai Latte blending fragrant Indian spices with velvety vanilla from the new Loose Leaf Pyramid range. The resealable bag contains 12 loose leaf pyramid tea bags.
Ingredients: Black tea, vanilla, spice and syrup flavourings (26%).
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Red Chai from Steenberg’s Organics. . ..
I’m always super excited when I find Chai tea that is caffeine free. And when it’s made with rooibos or redbush tea it’s even better. Rooibos tea is so healthy, but drinking it plain isn’t always my favorite. But Chai spices definitely help mask the earthiness of plain rooibos. I brewed this tea and added a little raw sugar and a splash of coconut milk.
It’s a very mellow Chai, not spicy at all. This is the perfect tea for someone who isn’t a huge fan of spice. It’s a very soothing and warming chai, with all of the spices kind of blending together, nothing stands out or is too much.
Since this is caffeine free it’s also perfect to drink anytime of the day. It would be a really tasty after dinner tea.
I like that all of the ingredients including the spices are organic. This chai has redbush tea, cinnamon quills, cardamom pods, cloves, ginger, black pepper and lemongrass. Even though that seems like a lot of spices, as I mentioned it’s very mellow. I could still definitely taste the earthiness of the rooibos tea. So, if you like rooibos and chai, this is definitely the tea for you.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Steenberg’s
Description
Steenbergs Organic Redbush Chai Tea combines with a delicious blend of Steenbergs organic spices with organic redbush tea to create our own wonderful organic redbush chai tea. You brew Steenbergs Organic Redbush Chai Tea in the same way as normal chai tea and can add sugar, honey or milk to taste.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Muskoka Chai from Pluck Teas. . . . .
It’s a gloomy day in the city. Rain all day keeping everything wet. High winds keeping everyone cold. The threat of snow looming. Perfect day for snuggling up in bed with a good book and a hot cup of tea. Alas, I had to get my butt to work so I sat in traffic and and then under the florescent lights of the office for what felt like forever. When I finally returned home, I wanted something special and a chai latte just seemed right. I mean, when done properly, a good tea latte is like a nice hug for your tastebuds.
This particular chai is a little bit different. Sure it has the typical cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. It also has some sneaky star anise which I wasn’t pleased about and a dash of black pepper which I think I am okay with. However, among all those traditional chai elements, Pluck stuck in a little bit of Canadian goodness by adding Muskoka cranberries to the mix. Like I said, I wanted something special and in theory this fit the bill.
I brewed this up in water, and topped it off with frothed skim milk and the end result is nice. I think this would have done better done the non-lazy way of steeping the tea in the milk on the stove, low and slow to really let the flavors sink in or even with a richer milk (skim can get a bit watery in lattes). As it is now, it is a little harsh. You expect creaminess but the tea really takes over. The ginger is strong in flavor, though not in spice, and the cardamom lurks somewhere in the middle. The star anise is nowhere to be found, which makes me happy, but if I am being honest, the cranberry is missing too and that is the whole reason I was drawn to this tea in the first place. One nice element is actually the pepper. I find at times it jumps out and really makes the other flavors, like that of the cinnamon, cloves, and other chai spices pop.
It’s an alright chai and I can see it doing well in the right conditions. However, it fails to deliver on the one ingredient that is supposed to make this stand out and that makes this tea disappointing for me. I shouldn’t have to search for the very ingredient this is named for.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: Pluck Teas
Description
Dried Muskoka cranberries add an unexpected twist to this premium traditional Chai made with an organic Assam black tea, that also features whole cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Country Chai Spice from Cozy Leaf. . . . .Artisan Blends Crafted with Love and Care!
Are you looking for a full, rich, Full-bodied black tea chai made with real chai spices of rich cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, and sweet anise and clove for a healthy and delicious treat? Then you are in luck! We have a very tasty one to share with you today! Country Chai Spice from The Cozy Leaf!
Ingredients include: Organic black tea, organic cinnamon, organic ginger, organic cardamon, organic fennel, organic anise, organic clove. Pretty standard as far as chai spices go – right? I don’t know how Cozy Leaf did it tho – this one is OUTSTANDING! It’s still rich and full without being intensely spicy!
Perhaps it’s all in the amount of fennel that was used that you can clearly see. But the fennel isn’t too overpowering either. Everything seems to be JUST RIGHT when it comes to this Artisan Hand-Blended Loose Leaf Blend.
This is one of the best chai’s I have tried in a while! Can’t wait to try more offerings from Cozy Leaf! I’ve enjoyed everything thus far! Woot!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Cozy Leaf
Description
Full-bodied black tea chai made with real chai spices of rich cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, and sweet anise and clove for a healthy and delicious treat.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chai Du Kerala from Nunshen. . . .
Chai Du Kerala from Nunshen. Come over here and snuggle up with me – won’t you? This is the first tea I have ever had from Nunshen. I have to say I’m quite giddy over that fact.
This chai is ideal for the afternoon and/or evening and is of medium strength. This was harvested in China. All of that was listed on the product description of their website.
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 was also listed under the description of this tea on the company website and I tend to agree!
I looked up Kerala and Google said that the region has been a prominent spice exporter since 3000BC. Kerala is historically known as Keralam and is an Indian state in South India on the Malabar Coast. So with a name like Chai Du Kerala this tea HAS to be good, right? YUP! It is! Don’t you worry your pretty lil head! It’s a winner!
It’s a completely satisfying chai – indeed! All of the chai flavors from the spices are represented. It’s not weak but it’s not over-the-top strong either. I’m overjoyed with this tea and can’t wait to try another tea from Nunshen! YAY!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
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 wellbeing.