Photo: Adagio Teas |
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
Leaf Appearance: dark, lots of cloves and ginger pieces
Ingredients: Ceylon sonata tea, cardamom pods, ginger root, cloves, black tea, cinnamon bark, natural cinnamon flavor
Steep time: 5 minutes
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: ceramic teacup and mesh infuser
Liquor: dark brown
Winter is on its way which means I’m drinking more and more chai. This version from Adagio Teas was bold and spicy. The cinnamon and ginger definitely dominated but I was still able to taste the black tea underneath. It’s a little milder than some other chai teas I have tried since they opted to use Ceylon instead of the traditional Assam. While not overly astringent, I still prefered it with a touch of milk and sugar. If you are a fan of chai lattes (and who isn’t?) try boiling this in a sauce pan with milk instead of water. You’ll get a creamy, spicy treat. Whole milk develops a bit of a film because of the fat content. I just pull it off but if it bothers you, try using skim milk. This particular blend is inexpensive so it’s great to keep around the house for when the mood strikes on chilly days.
You can find out more about this tea here.
I love chai, and I tend to drink it more in winter, too. My mother's side is Sri Lankan, and so we're a tea household, not a coffee one. This tea sounds lovely. I imagine that it's made with cassia, rather than true Ceylon cinnamon, which is much harder to find in the US and has a more delicate taste (in my opinion).
You are probably right about that. Cassia and Saigon cinnamon are usually found in tea blends in the US. I don't believe that I've ever seen one that specifically mentions true Ceylon cinnamon. I think they all taste great though. Thanks for commenting!