Product Information:
Product: black tea – instant spiced chai mix
Where to Buy: Jaipur Avenue
Product Description:
A retreat into green/woodsy undertones, refreshing aromas and natural sweetness.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
Nice!
In some chai blends, I have a difficult time discerning the cardamom because of the stronger flavors of cinnamon and ginger. Yes, cardamom on its own can be a strong spice, but when united with cinnamon and ginger, these two warmer spices can be very aggressive and often overpower some of the subtle complexities of the cardamom.
I’m loving that this chai mix focuses on the cardamom!
With this chai mix, I can taste the light citrus-y tone of the cardamom, and that sun-kissed fruit note gives this chai a brightness that I seldom experience with a spiced chai. This citrus-y flavor weaves its way throughout the sip, and is most prominent in the aftertaste where I can taste a light, orange-y kind of flavor. This tastes lighter and more refreshing while still maintaining that warm spiciness that I love about chai.
I can taste the other spice flavors: most notably, I can taste notes of ginger and cinnamon. But these spices that often dominate a chai have taken a back seat with this chai, allowing the cardamom to drive for a change. The black tea is also there, peaking its way through every now and then. This chai mix also has the latte already mixed in – giving it a smooth, rich, creamy flavor that is absolutely luxurious.
This chai mix has been sweetened, and while this is a little sweeter than I would have made for myself, my sweet tooth doesn’t seem to mind.
I’ve really enjoyed this … my only complaint? It’s all gone now, and I want more!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Ginger Chai Tea Mix from Jaipur Avenue
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Jaipur Avenue
Product Description:
An awakening with zesty notes, stimulating aromas and heartwarming spice.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
I have tasted and reviewed three of the five different flavors of chai mixes from Jaipur Avenue, and I think of the three that I’ve tried thus far, this one is my favorite.
What can I say? I love a good, hot, spicy cup of chai, and this one fits the bill. The extra ginger in this blend gives it just the right kick of peppery, zingy ginger flavor. It is warm and invigorating, but, the creamy aspect of the latte tones down the ginger just enough so that it isn’t TOO peppery hot.
It is spicy and just toes the line at the point where my tongue feels like it’s on fire… you know? It’s like it’s almost there, but not quite. And that’s just the way I like it to be! I want a chai to warm me up with its spices but I don’t want it so hot that all I taste is spice. I don’t want to be so overwhelmed by the spice that I can’t enjoy the other aspects of the chai – and Jaipur Avenue hits the nail right on the head with this blend. Spicy, but not overpoweringly so!
I can also taste the other spice notes here, I taste hints of cinnamon and a nice backdrop of cloves and cardamom. The black tea is there too, providing a pleasant flavor in the background that is bold and energizing. The creamy milk for the “latte” adds just the right creamy texture and flavor to the cup.
And yes, these chai mixes are sweetened, but, even with the sweetener, I don’t find them too sweet. And here’s a bonus: each package whips up a creamy, smooth latte that’s just 90 calories. That’s right, all this sweet, creamy, deliciously spicy flavor for just 90 calories! AWESOME!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Vanilla Chai Tea Mix from Jaipur Avenue
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Jaipur Avenue
Tea Description:
A celebration with delicate fragrances, luxurious cream and soft spice.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh my goodness … this is like comfort food in liquid form! It is so creamy and delicious.
This Vanilla Chai mix is different from the Original Masala Chai mix in a couple of ways, most notably that this chai is very vanilla-y. I’ve tried several different vanilla chai blends in the past, but, this one takes vanilla to a whole new level.
The spices are more of an accent to the vanilla. In most cases, I’d be disappointed by that, but with this particular chai, it’s hard to be disappointed because it is so good. SO GOOD!
The black tea is noticeable, but, it is somewhat masked by the creaminess of the vanilla and the milky notes. I will say that I found the black tea flavors to develop as I continued to sip, and despite the fact that the flavor was somewhat obscured, this chai definitely has the energizing factor of a black tea.
This would make a good chai mix for someone who likes their chai on the mild side (rather than the spicy), although, I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who dislikes sweet drinks. That’s because this is sweet. It could easily replace a dessert. It has a decadent creaminess to it, like a warm, liquified vanilla spiced custard.
As for me, I absolutely love this. It is incredibly decadent and rich and oh-so-yummy. My sweet tooth highly recommends this one!
Pomegranate Matcha from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
Matcha tea is kind of like a super-powered green tea—since you’re ingesting the whole leaf instead of just the brewed beverage, you get up to ten times the antioxidant effect and nutritional value of your standard green. Matcha’s rich in antioxidants, as well as chlorophyll and fiber, and has been found to have natural mood enhancing effects. All in all, matcha’s got no match when it comes to healthy teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was excited to try this Matcha. I love pomegranates, they are one of my favorite fruits! However, since they tend to be a bit pricy, I don’t get a chance to enjoy them as often as I’d like to.
I didn’t make this as a latte, instead, I prepared it the same way I would normally prepare Matcha – except that I did not sift the Matcha. I find that with flavored Matcha, it is better not to sift. It whisked up nice and frothy, and possessed a color that was dark green. The froth dissipated within minutes, but then, the Matcha also managed to disappear pretty quickly so I’m not complaining!
The flavor of the Matcha is sweet and vegetative, although it isn’t as grassy or vegetative as some other Matcha teas that I’ve tasted. This one has more of a fruity note with a nice buttery undertone. It has a smooth, rich flavor, and I do not notice any gritty or chalky flavor from the Matcha (a big plus!)
The sweet, creamy flavor of the Matcha is the perfect base for the flavor of pomegranate. The tart, juicy flavor of the pomegranate shines through and is especially noticeable toward the tail of the sip. It tastes fresh and juicy, just like a pomegranate aril!
This makes a GREAT pick-me-up when I start feeling sluggish toward the afternoon. I felt full of energy after drinking it. I love this stuff!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Original Masala Chai Tea Mix from Jaipur Avenue
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Jaipur Avenue
Product Description:
An adventure through spicy notes, soothing aromas and velvet textures.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This mix makes an unbelievably good chai!
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about this product before trying it, because I’ve not always had the best of luck with chai mixes. Many that I’ve tried have been way too sweet, but this one, while it is sweetened, isn’t too sweet. It has a very pleasant balance of spice and sweetness and creaminess while still allowing the flavor of the black tea to come through.
The black tea is the least distinguishable of the flavors of this cup, but that does not mean that it is indistinguishable. It is a full-flavored black tea which lends a very pleasing backdrop for the spices of this blend to do their thing.
And those spices do their thing very well! They begin very subtle, but within the time that it takes to take two or three sips, I noticed that the warmth of the peppery ginger began to heat the back of my throat. The spice blend tastes spicy and exotic, and what I’m enjoying most of all about the blend of spices used here is that while it does create a spicy cup, I think it is at a level that even those who tend to steer clear of spicy teas can enjoy it.
This may be due in part to the addition of dry milk to the mix, which lends a soft, creamy note to the cup and allow the delivery of the tea and spices to be a very smooth one. In other words, your palate is not set afire by the spices in this product, it is warmed gently, allowing the temperature of the spices to build gradually, making for a very enjoyable chai experience!
I prepared this product according to package instructions: I poured the contents of the package into a mug, added a small amount of boiling water, then stirred it until the powders were dissolved. Then I added more boiling water and got out my frothing tool and began frothing it. The result is a rich, foamy cup of deliciously spicy chai that not only helped warm me up on this chilly winter’s morning, but also helped to wake me up!
This stuff is awesome!