Kashmir

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Black

Product Description:

Assam black tea blended with mint, cardamom and ginger create this warm yet cooling spicey chai blend.

Taster’s Review:

I am very impressed with Chi of Tea. They have great tea at reasonable prices, very fast shipping, and they include a plethora of free samples with each order! What more could you ask for?

This is one of the free samples I received with a recent order. The dry leaf is a finer grind than what the picture might suggest – this is quite a finely ground tea. No matter, though, because I’ve come to realize just how important that grind is to a chai blend. It allows for maximum extraction of the flavors of the spices and tea, creating a very richly flavored brew.

The black tea base is quite strong, indeed. I recommend steeping somewhere between three and four minutes, any longer and you may end up with a cup that is bitter. I brewed mine for about three and a half minutes, and this was perfect for my taste buds. Robust and malty without bitterness.

The spices are not as strong as the black tea base, nor are they as spicy as in some other chai blends. But that is not a complaint, because, I like this chai for what it is. The spices offer a pleasant warmth and allow for enjoyment of a very delicious Assam blend. This chai puts the tea first, and I like that.

What surprised me most about this chai is the mint. It didn’t really present itself until about mid-cup. Notes of the mint were lingering somewhere in the distance before that point, but at about mid-cup, a crisp, refreshing mint taste started coming through. It was a nice surprise, indeed.

I really like this chai. It is deliciously different. I prefer this one latte – I love the creaminess of the milk and the way it melds with the minty flavor. What a delight!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Chai