Coconut Spiced Chai

Tea Swap Sample

Geez, it was an incredibly long day at work. I must say that I’m squatting & writing this review. “Why,” you ask. This new job is unlike the previous one—less physical work, but more sitting/mental work. I honestly can say that I’ve never dreamt of being a data analyst; which is actually quite fun. I enjoy the work and what I do, but I miss being physically active at work, too. Now I have to acquire a gym membership and workout out….

Anyway, I’m tired, so I’ll keep this short and sweet.

I’ve had a hankering for a tasty chai tea or two. My good ol’ friend Hoálatha gave me more than that. She must’ve taken her time deciding what I’d enjoy because I was in high heaven tonight. I jumped right into this tea. See, I took a lot of tea that I’ve never had and/or wouldn’t drink unless forced, friends wanted some, etc. And these teas have proven to be bad. Not good AT ALL.

These samples have made life a little more spicy though. In more ways than one.

The notes on this tea specifically were very nice. I randomly grabbed this from the box, threw the leaves into the tea sachet, threw water in, steeped, and sipped. I—without knowing what I was drinking—tasted coconut, vanilla, a variety of spices, and a hint of fruit (apple?). When I was finished with the cup, I wanted to make a brief note about the tea and to my surprise read “Coconut Spiced Chai.” Right on taste buds!

Anyway, this was a good tea. I’ll review the rest tomorrow.

Cheers!

Chai day: Blend 4 of 6:
After the disappointment that was the Thai chai, I decided to drink something with coconut and no lemongrass. I’m getting the scent of vanilla, coconut, and cinnamon from the scent of the dry leaves, so perhaps it’s safe to drink without any more unpleasant surprises.

Another note to make is the physiological effects of drinking too much chai in the span of a couple of hours. I am sneezy, runny-nosed, and getting a little warm. I could, of course, stop drinking chai teas, but I think instead I am going to turn down the air conditioning and continue drinking. Of course I might not ever want to drink chai again after this evening is through.

There’s something about the aroma of the brew that is stirring something from long ago, but I can’t place my mind on exactly what it is. My brain keeps sending the word “wax” to the forefront, but this tea doesn’t smell like wax. Am I veering into territory that is better left to the psychologists again?

The base of this is a bit stronger than the last. There’s no astringency, but it’s rather bitter and tannic. The spices in the chai blend barely come out at all. I’m getting the cinnamon as usual, but I cannot taste the cardamom that is clearly visible in the dry leaf. There’s also vanilla and coconut, but the black tea base pretty much drowns out most of the flavor.

I wouldn’t call this a chai either. There’s nothing spicy about it. It’s more like cinnamon coconut black tea. Examining the leaf after brewing I see that it is much greener than the other chais I have had. Perhaps a lower temperature would make this tea better.