Ok so this is soooo much better when done right!!! Can I marry a tea? *sighs
I think I’m so smitten because I was somewhat meh about it before and didn’t expect much out of it. This time, I used my steeper (the one that pours out the bottom) and I guess I’m over my flu!
Anyhow, this is definitely a complex tea. I have a couple “chai” teas in my arsenal so it was nice to find one that stands apart, though I would not consider this a true chai at all.
When I first take a sip, I taste malty tea with a slight chocolate edge. When it’s hot, the chocolate really rides ahead on the vapors but not so much as it cools down.
The tea itself tastes a bit thin(again, not a true chai), which I think is part of what I was tasting before-even though the flavour is potent and full. Also, I am getting a bit of the sourness that comes naturally with tea, but not in a bad way. I usually dislike that sour effect but in this tea it really complements the flavour, balancing it against the sweetness that I find in the back of my throat when I roll it around. (and I added no sugar to boot, and I almost always add sugar to my black teas, even if it’s only a third of a teaspoon. I suppose the chocolate took care of that for me, but not much)
As for the peppercorns, well they aren’t so much something that I can taste… more of a burn after I swallow. Ahhhh!! It’s a nice refreshing burn that I cannot get enough of! I like how I feel it everywhere, not just in the throat like with most alcohols- not to mention it’s milder.
Also, I tried it with some milk and found I like it better without. However, I think this would make an amazing latte.