A review of Vanilla Chai Tea by Bigelow
Date: 09/22/2012
Company: Bigelow Tea
Tea Name: Vanilla Chai
Tea Type/Varietal: Black
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup/tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: dark red
Leaf Characteristics: tea bag smells of rich spices like cinnamon and nutmeg; it is a very inviting scent.
- Steepings 2 good steeps, 2nd steep was weak.
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 195 Fahrenheit
Time: 4 minutes
Note: I placed one tea bag into my mug and poured the boiling water into the cup and left it to steep for four minutes. The aroma rising in the air is very spicy and inviting; one does not want to walk away since it is such nice fragrant, inviting warmth.
After four minutes I remove the tea bag to look at the tea’s color and it is very bright reddish like color; it is not like Rooibos teas since in this cup the tea is dark as it is red.
When I begin to sip the tea I am met with the spices as they intermingle. What I recognize at once is the cinnamon and cardamom and something of the nutmeg/cloves which seem to give it that spicy salt-like kick to it.
I am having this tea plainly with water, but the recommended way is to have it with milk or soy.
So for now my cup of tea is a spice-full cup of hot water which invites for more to be done to it for better appreciation.
2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes
Note: I was able to get another steep of this tea with a three minutes steep since. The spices continue to be wonderfully enticing making for an invigorating cup of tea.
