Advent Day #3

Tea #3 - "Chai"

This morning, I opened the third door on the advent calendar and pulled out Fortum & Mason chai. I was a little excited to try it because, believe it or not, I’ve never had a chai tea before.  I love all things India, but never delved into chai!

I pulled the tea bag out and gave it a sniff. The tea and the spices were just as I expected: a hint of India. I brewed the tea for the full 5 minutes (I prefer my black tea to be strong), added my two lumps of brown raw sugar and my usual glug of milk. (The milk cools the tea just enough for me to drink it— I’m not a “hot hot” beverage drinker.)

My initial thought as I brought the cup to my nose was “this smells a bit like a take-away.”  I immediately went to the package and grabbed the ingredient list: 

Black Tea (84%), Cinnamon Bark, Coriander, Cumin, Ginger, Cloves, Star Anise, Fennel.

There was the culprit: cumin. Typical masala chai leaves out the cumin. And, I will say, that as the tea mellowed in my mug, the cumin faded.  Or, I got used to the odd spice addition. 

Overall, the cup was nice. I’d drink it again. But, if I were looking for a good chai tea experience, I might look elsewhere. 5/10