Herbal Chai Masala

I’ve been on a spicy tea kick lately as you may have noticed if you follow my tea log. Originally I bought this thinking it would be nice mixed in with other teas to ceate a chai but I figured I should drink it on its’ own at least once.

The package is bursting full of spices including whole cloves. The anise definitely provides a licorice-y note. I’m not sure I even know what Sarsaparilla tastes like so it’s difficult to know what type of a part it is playing in this blend. I

I did not follow the traditional chai making instructions that are on the S+V website, I steeped it the regular way and then added soymilk but it’s still pretty good this way. I’m glad to know I can drink this plain but I think it will be even more awesome mixed with black tea or some rooibos just to tone it down a wee bit…

I knew by the ingredients this was not for me but I drank it to say I did and because now and then you should try things that are outside of your comfort zone. If I hadn’t been having it with lunch, I probably would have poured it out but it was tolerable with food.

I didn’t add milk or sugar and maybe that was a mistake. It is a chai, after all, but other chais that I have enjoyed were fine plain. This had a really funky smell to me that was off-putting. I am not a fan of black peppercorns or lots of ginger in tea, and I think the sarsaparilla may have put me off a bit, too. Does sarsaparilla smell like gym socks that were left under a damp mildewy towel that had been used to mop up spilled milk?

Most of the teas in the advent are ones I enjoy or look forward to trying if I haven’t already had them. This one was the dud (for me) I expected, though I did go into it with an open mind. People who love chai will probably appreciate the spices and the fact that it is caffeine free if one needs to watch that. Glad to have tried it, though!

Simpson & Vail Advent 2025 – Day #4
Well I just happen to have a tin of this one.  I am not seeing a tasting note for it, thought for sure I would have written one after all this time of having the tin around and had to add it to my cupboard, so I wonder if Steepster deleted a double tea entry or something.  I like this one!  In this advent sample, I only had 1 1/2 teaspoons in the pouch but usually for this chai I use two teaspoons for a mug.  So it’s interesting that the pouches of advent samples have different amounts in them.  This is a no-caff chai blend that brews up an orange yellow color.  Maybe because there is a LOT of orange peel.    It’s spicy while not being too spicy.  A nice resteep too.  I wish there was a bit more cinnamon though.  And I’m not ENTIRELY convinced the orange needs to be there, or at least this much orange.  It’s a good blend though. Somehow I don’t own any other chai blends without black tea or rooibos.   
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 18 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 9 minute steep

The first time I had this, I found it to be really lacking in flavor since it’s just spices with no tea or rooibos to give it body. Ever since then, I’ve been overleafing, oversteeping, and adding almond milk. These steps make it taste pretty good really. It’s not very spicy or overly bold, but I enjoy the spice combination. It’s become a pretty reliable choice when I want something warm.