The scent before you steep is nice, if not a little overbearing. The spices really stand out, and I enjoy that a lot, but I could see how it would bother someone. Once brewed, though, the tea becomes a bit more subdued and devolves into a slightly weak general spice smell. It actually reminds me a bit of scented pinecones at craft stores.
My impression of the taste is that it’s a bit weak, but the aftertaste is nice and smooth. I didn’t use any sugar. Before being swallowed, I found that it’s a bit bitter (though weak; this could also have been how I brewed it…). After swallowing, though, the spice comes through in subtle notes. It’s not /bad/ but it’s not /good/. I actually quite like the aftertaste, but I am not impressed by the drink itself.
Is this the best chai I’ve ever had? Not really. Is it the worst? Again, not really. It’s not something I will purchase in the future, but it’s not awful. Now, when some of the cup was gone, I did add some Silk brand soy milk (“Very Vanilla” flavor), just a splash. This made it slightly more enjoyable, so I think I’ll do that for the rest of the filterbags.
Overall impression: Nice aftertaste, weak spice flavor, and a little bitter.
Flavors: Cinnamon
