Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Indie Tea
Product Description:
Wisdom May Be The Road Less Traveled, But It Beats The Road That Leads To The Unexpected Swamp Filled With Hungry Alligators.
Organic and Fair Trade Ingredients: Organic Assam Black Tea, Organic Cloves, Organic Orange Peel, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Cardamom, Organic White Peppercorn, Organic Allspice, Organic Ginger, Organic Nutmeg, Organic Myrrh, Organic Frankincense.
Taster’s Review:
I must admit that Frankincense and Myrrh are two ingredients with which I have very little (read: none) experience. I wouldn’t be able to readily identify either if I were given something that had been spiced with them. I might have tried something with one or both of the ingredients in it before trying this tea, but, if so, it apparently was memorable.
But that is certainly not the case with this chai! This is really a delicious and unique chai – and it is indeed memorable. The black tea base is robust enough to stand out and be noticed amongst these spices without overwhelming them. It has a pleasant flavor with a nice malty note.
The spices are strong, but they don’t hit you upside the head. The cloves, cinnamon and cardamom come through most distinctly. I do like the addition of the allspice and nutmeg, it gives the tea a very solid warmth and pleasant nutty/woody flavor. The spices come through with very little heat though… this is what I would call a well-seasoned spiced tea rather than a spicy tea. It’s rustic and unusual.
While I do enjoy ginger, I like that here it is a little subdued. It doesn’t come on too strong or peppery – it kind of sits back in the background and lets the other spices come out and play. I also like the hint of orange here. It isn’t strong, but, it is a nice citrus-y sweetness that lightens up what might otherwise be a very spice-laden cup.
This is a very unusual chai – unusual, but very enjoyable. Different is good!
