Experience buying from Ovation Teas: Overall, positive. < more details later >
Date of Purchase: Summer 2011, in response to a promotion on Steepster.
Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: attractive looking: lots of light-brown colored bits of flowers and full cardamon seeds mixed in with the darker colored tea leaves and cacao nibs; smells spicy, with chocolate overtones.
Brewing guidelines: Ceramic sixteen-oz cup and lid, tea in metal basket strainer; heated unsweetened soy milk added before steeping; stevia added; my standard black tea steeping times and temperatures (see my profile for details).
Blends well with: I blended this successfully with the Laoshan Chai and with the Java OP I have.
Value: Not bad, especially when you buy it by the pound (I think it is ~ $30/pound).
Overall: I am not a big chai drinker, but my wife is, and we both like this chocolate flavored chai; the chocolate notes this tea brings compliments the traditional chai flavor. For some reason some chai’s give me a dry mouth feeling that I don’t really care for (as with this one). Still, this is a tea my wife drinks often, and sometimes I join her.
