I was excited to try one of the Samovar teas finally, as I’ve heard such good things about them. The shop I visited was out of the Masala Chai I’d wanted, but the Vanilla Dian Hong was second on my list, and it was in stock. When I popped the lid, it wasn’t vanilla I noticed, but rather the scent of a chocolate liquor instead. I was very excited to try this one, but as it was late when I got home I opted to try it in the morning instead. When brewed, this tea doesn’t have the same taste as it smells dry, which was fine. You definitely get more of the vanilla in the tea itself. What I found was that it almost had a flavor similar to a rooibos, with the slight aftertaste of black tea. So I wasn’t blown away, though I felt I should have been for the $18.99 price tag. I’m hoping Samovar’s masala chai fares better for me.
Preparation
Comments
I was also excited to try this after such great recommendations. I’m a recent coffee convert so this is supposed to be appealing and on the sweeter end of the spectrum. I did definitely notice the chocolate liquor scent after popping it open for the first time. Tasted it pure after 5 min of steeping and it came out ok… not as bold as I expected (maybe steep longer?) I do like how subtle the vanilla is tho. A teaspoon of sugar in 16 oz. is also pleasant.
I was also excited to try this after such great recommendations. I’m a recent coffee convert so this is supposed to be appealing and on the sweeter end of the spectrum. I did definitely notice the chocolate liquor scent after popping it open for the first time. Tasted it pure after 5 min of steeping and it came out ok… not as bold as I expected (maybe steep longer?) I do like how subtle the vanilla is tho. A teaspoon of sugar in 16 oz. is also pleasant.