Three More Chais

I brewed these teas all black so I could try them straight up, with sweetener, and then with milk and sweetener. HOWEVER, I would recommend that you follow the more traditional route with your chais. Heat a combination of milk and water and steep at a simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain and add a touch of sweetener at the end. I think the flavor is far superior in most cases.

Kama Chai Sutra - Tavalon Tea
The first of our three was the Kama Chai Sutra from Tavalon Tea. The base is a very dark Indian black tea (Assam, perhaps?) There are small spice pieces mixed in. It smelled sweet and like cinnamon and vanilla. I kept thinking of spice cake with frosting. That just made me hungry.

The scent of the brewed tea was peppery with a lingering vanilla scent and some clove. (I was actually quite proud when I checked the ingredients and saw vanilla listed. My senses are getting better!)

The flavor of this chai was very different than others I'd tried. The vanilla was topmost but there were strong spice notes beneath. Really lovely and strikingly creamy. When I tried it with a touch of sweetener (simple syrup) the vanilla came through even more and it became a smoother tea. Sweetened with milk was absolutely fantastic. There was a nice round flavor with a bit of a bite at the end. Long lingering taste of spice. Superb.

Masala Chai - Adagio
This dry leaf was straighter than the rolled form of Tavalon's base. I was surprised to see that they used a Ceylon for a tea that is traditionally Indian. I know, though, that many blends favor Ceylon because the tea flavor does not compete strongly with the scents and flavors. There were very large spice pieces in this, including big whole cloves.

The tea brewed to an orange-y brown, much like that of Tavalon's. The scent was of cinnamon and clove. Pretty spicy. The taste was much more gentle than I'd anticipated from the aroma. The spice was evident, however, with a peppery aftertaste. This tea was exactly what I would expect from a good chai. There was nothing surprising in this one, but also nothing to disappoint. Sweetened, the spices were pointed up a bit. Sweetened with milk was very satisfying. Again, this is the classic masala blend that I've come to love. You can't go wrong with this option.

Assam Chai - Teajo Teas
The dry leaf was dark chocolate brown with very long, thin leaves. It is an Assam base (TGFOP, single estate) with cinnamon and ginger and additional flavorings. I spotted cloves and black peppercorns as well as cardamom pods and pieces of cinnamon stick.

The scent was very bold. I kept picking up something that reminded me of spearmint. (Was it ginger with something else?) Clove came through as well. The liquor was a reddish brown.

The tea flavor dominated in this with ginger in the background. The taste was quite different from other chais I have tried. It was flavorful, but much less spicy than the others. Sweetened, there was a bit more oomph. The cinnamon flavor was more pronounced. Sweetened with milk wasn't as good for me. It seemed slightly bland. The cinnamon still came through slightly.


Teas: Kama Chai Sutra (Tavalon), Masala Chai (Adagio), Assam Chai
Company: Tavalon Tea, Adagio Tea, Teajo Teas
Type: Chai
Brewing: 1 tsp leaf per 8 ounces water at 212 degrees for 5 minutes
(Tavalon's website recommends using 2 tsps of leaf in a pan with 3 oz milk and 5 oz water. Boil for 5 min, strain, and sweeten with cane sugar. This is a good technique for most chais. I usually bring to a boil, though, and simmer for the stated time.)
Notes: These are all quite good, each with their own merits.
* Tavalon wins for creative naming and for an unusual twist. I liked it in all forms, but I think it was best with milk and sweetened slightly.
* Adagio's was very comforting and safe - reminded me of a favorite old sweater - you know what to expect and you love it. Not flashy, but sometimes you don't want to be flashy. Again, it worked in all forms, but I'd recommend with milk and sweetened slightly.
* Teajo Teas is the chai for people who don't like it too spicy. I liked it best with no milk, but slightly sweetened.

Taken from http://teapages.blogspot.com/