I don’t choose chai unless it’s freezing. It is. A balmy 32 F outside today thanks to a two-day freezer express from the Great North. (Thanks, Canada friends—it feels great! Now, at least. I will ask you to take it back in January.)
This chai variety smells like a pack of Big Red or Beeman’s Clove chewing gum in the pouch. Straight up at a five minute steep (my little drawstring filter bags are kind of thick, so they take more time than the seller’s recommendation), it leads with cinnamon and clove, but you don’t have to strain too hard to catch some orange essence.
Reminds me of an upscale version of Constant Comment, with the added benefit of not getting bitter when it cools—sometimes CC wants you to comment very quickly. A nicely done departure from the chai-dentical stuff that comes out this time of year.
