Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Chai-Wallah
Product Description:
Fair Trade Organic Rembeng Estate Assam tea is the perfect match for our organic chai spice. A robust full-bodied CTC tea favored by chai drinkers in India for its strong malty taste even when blended and boiled with chai spice, milk and sugar.
Taster’s Review:
Well, if you read many of my reviews, you know that I love chai. Some I like better than others – and this chai definitely falls under the “better” category. It’s fantastic!
One challenge that chai blends face when it comes to me tasting and reviewing them is that I seldom will brew them in the “recommended” method – that is, I don’t usually simmer the spiced tea on the stovetop with milk and/or water. I brew it like I’d brew any tea – using boiling water in a tea pot or a smart brewing system (like this one). And I realize that this affects the outcome. However, I don’t like to brew using the stovetop method. It’s messy, and because of this, I’m less likely to brew chai tea as often as I do now. Which means less chai enjoyment.
So, a chai blend needs to produce a delicious, hearty cup using my method for me to like it! And this chai does – and how! I’ve tasted it with and without milk added, and I must say that it is quite delicious both ways, although I prefer it latte.
The organic Assam tea base is BOLD and deliciously malty. It has to be to be able to be detected amongst some rather robust spice. Well, this Assam is able to hold its own with these spices, and it brings forth a very pleasing, eye-opening flavor. This tea is full-bodied and vigorous without tasting bitter (but I wouldn’t recommend over-steeping it, I steeped for just 4 minutes in boiling water).
Not surprisingly, though, it is the spices that make this blend what it is. It’s like a powerful wallop in the mouth! Zesty ginger and pepper dominate, followed by a spicy cinnamon with the warmth of cardamom and cloves providing a very solid backdrop for a delicious chai experience.
This is not a chai for the meek! It is a strong, solid chai with a lot of spice! So, if you’re timid when it comes to spice, this may not be the chai for you. BUT if you love chai, you probably aren’t timid! Try this one! It’s amazing!
Spice with Green Tea from Chai-Wallah’s
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Chai-Wallah’s
Product Description:
A blend of our organic chai spice and Fair Trade Organic Green Tea from Korakundah Estate in Nilgiri, South India . Korakundah was the first certified organic Nilgiri tea estate. Established in 1922, the garden has become one of India’s premier organic tea estates. Tigers, panthers and elephant herds are spotted regularly in the dense jungle surrounding the pristine garden. This chai is smooth and mellow unlike its Assam stablemate! The chai should not be boiled or simmered but steeped otherwise it will reduce the beneficial properties of the tea.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! This is GOOD! The spice is strong and zesty! The pepper and ginger are the most prominent of the spices, but, they do not overpower the balance of spicy tastes.
The green tea base is a bit lighter in flavor than you’d experience with a black tea chai, but then, that’s to be expected. It has a fresh, lightly vegetative taste to it, and I think that the tea is nicely complimented in this blend of vibrant spices.
I have tried this chai a couple of times now. The first time, I tasted it without milk and I liked it a lot that way. The spices were very lively. The second time, I decided to go latte, and it is also very good as a latte. The spices are muted a little by the milk, but the peppery kick can still be tasted. The green tea’s vegetative qualities are enhanced a little by the addition of milk, which I found interesting.
Both ways are tasty, but I do think I prefer it non-latte, just because more of the spices are highlighted that way. Which ever way you choose to serve it, this is a chai I would highly recommend to those who enjoy spicy chai teas! It’s yummy and makes me happy! And the fact that it’s 100% Organic and Fair Trade – well that’s something to really smile about!