In appearance this blend consists of: small black tea pieces with noticeable cinnamon stick pieces, clove pieces and green leaves of some kind.
It smells of cardamom, clove and cinnamon in particular. A little dry but very refreshing and citrus(y) with a spicy, peppery finish.
Once steeped this tea is dark reddish brown in colour and has a sweet yet spicy aromatic scent.
Please note: A drop of milk was added.
Flavour is medium in strength with crisp, spice notes. It’s a little dry from the spices but the milk helps. Spice wise I can taste the cardamom, cinnamon, clove and pepper which pretty much matches it’s raw scent. The cardamom in particular freshens the blend and adds some sweetness whilst perfuming my mouth in the after taste.
Overall: I found this Chai to be a particularly dark blend which is perfect for adding milk. It can be enjoyed without milk but it may be slightly astringent or too dry. That is all personal preference, though usually Chai is served with milk as standard.
I have sampled many Chai in my years and this is certainly one of the darker, ‘full on’ blends that I tend to favour. The spices are strong but not too much and though dry it’s not an issue once milk is added. It’s a very nice example of a classic Masala Chai. My only criticism is that I love sweet Chai and my all time favourites contain almond, though again that is down to personal taste.
For pictures and more information please view my blog.
http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/01/22/discover-indian-tea-with-golden-tips/
