Aromatic Black Chai

029/365

Day 11 of the PostTea advent. This is a pretty basic chai blend, as far as I can tell. All the usual suspects are present and correct – ginger, clove, cardamon, cinnamon, black pepper. The black base is, I think, Assam – it’s smooth and malty, but otherwise unremarkable. I like Assam as a chai base, though, and it’s a good fit here. The spices don’t come out that well in the flavour, and my cup seems rather mild and muted, a little “flat” tasting. I’m wondering if this is a victim of age again, because some dried spices lose their intensity over time, in my experience. I can just about pick out clove, and there’s a background heat from the pepper or ginger, but it’s hard to be more specific because the flavour just isn’t there. I can certainly smell the spices, though, so the “aromatic” claim is spot-on.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I think it could be good, if a little ordinary, under better circumstances. As it stands, it’s probably not one I’d repurchase. It’s not bad, just thoroughly underwhelming.