From the LiberTEAS sampler I bought a while back
After sniffing a whole bunch of the samples I settled on this one for my nightly brew – it smelled warm and spicy (which went quite nicely with the 0F temps here in Indianapolis) and I couldn’t wait to try it.
As it steeped it opened up into a deep, rich colour and a scent that reminds me a little of baked goods. I did sweeten it a little bit, but the black tea definitely manages to push it’s way to the front, palate-wise; I pick up a little bit of bitterness, some malty hints and that’s about it…I know there are supposed to be some caramel and sweet notes, but I’m just getting a definite dryness (that I think comes from the black chai).
In all honesty it reminds me most of my Irish Breakfast tea – hearty, rich and a little bit punchy (but in a good way)…I would’ve loved it more if it hadn’t gotten my hopes up for something sweetly caramel and spicy. Maybe I just need to stop reading the descriptions before I drink?
Oh, and as it cooled the spicy chai notes really came up a bit brighter. I decided to hit it with a generous splash of (whole, organic) milk and it helped the flavour quite a bit. If I resteep I’ll definitely sweeten it a bit more and add the milk right off the bat.
So I guess I like it, but with a little bit of a caveat. It’s not what I expected, but it is a hearty black tea that I would be willing to drink in the mornings if I was out of my usual suspects.
