A sample from ashleyelizabeth! I really enjoyed the last Stash tea I tried, which came to me courtesy of VariaTEA, so I was eager to give this one a try. I like chai in general, particularly on colder days, and vanilla chai is generally among my favourites. I gave the bag 4 minutes in boiling water, and added a splash of milk.
The first flavour I can detect is strong, rich, creamy vanilla. It’s almost chocolatey in its intensity, and reminds me a lot of a posh white chocolate vanilla truffle. The spicing develops after the initial hit of vanilla, and lingers in the mouth. It leaves a little powdery dryness, but otherwise it complements the vanilla well. The spicing isn’t too heavy handed, so it doesn’t overpower the whole cup, but I could probably take it a little stronger. I can pick out the ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg easily — it’s a combination that’s making me think of Christmas cake! The clove and cardamom are more muted, although given that this is a very sweet, rich blend, that’s probably for the best.
I’m enjoying this cup, and on the strength of the two Stash teas I’ve tried, I’d definitely be open to sampling more in the future. A yummy chai blend for a cool autumn day.