Vahdam Tea Advent Calendar: Day 2 - India's Original Masala Chai

 

So, I'm still absolutely in love with the little tins these tea portions come in.  They are so satisfying to open and hold.

Today's tea is one that I was excited for when I first opened the box to see the tin, but even MORE excited for once I took a whiff of the blend inside.  The clove, cardamom, black pepper, and cinnamon hit my nose like a seduction with no one spice being more overpowering than another.  The balance in itself smelled appealing.

As you can see from the scoop, this Masala is Assam based (nothing looks quite like Assam). As such, I went in expecting a full bodied tea that would balance the heavy spice inclusion.  In that respect, I was not disappointed.

With a 5 minute steep, I got this beautiful dark color and took my first sip.  The flavor was muddled, tight, busy, dry and .... unpleasant.  Not at all what the nose had promised.  But then I remembered - traditional Indian Masala is meant to be served with milk!  (Well, actually, it's meant to be brewed in milk - but I think that is going to be its own post.)  So, I pulled out the milk and added a generous portion.  It was absolutely the right move.

Like a whiskey that needs a drop of water, the milk opened up the flavour of the tea and what hit my mouth next was not at all the same drink.  The creaminess of the milk mellowed out the dry mouth feel from the combination of the bold Assam and the clove.  The cinnamon and cardamom came to the party distinct from the other flavors without fighting them, and the black pepper on the finish gave a refreshing sensation on the back of the throat.  The spices are perfectly balanced with each other AND with the strong black Assam.

The cardamom and cream combine to give a sweetness that is heightened by the cinnamon; the Assam is high quality with a delightful malty notes that make you feel as though you are drinking something rich and luxurious.  I added 2% milk, but it felt on the mouth as though I had added full cream and I think that has to do with those delicious malty notes.  

Interestingly enough, on the tail end of the nose of the tea with milk is a touch of pine which translates into a very fresh and crisp layer to the top note that carries all the way through each sip. That means that at the end of the cup, my mouth wasn't tired from the heavy spice blend and was in fact ready to enjoy more.  

As beautifully balanced as the heavy spice and bold tea are - the overall feel of this blend is actually quite mellow.  It's heavy on the caffeine, but I didn't have the jitters after.  Instead, I felt pleasantly awake, alert, refreshed, and relaxed.

Because I only brewed enough for one cup, I have over half the tin left - and this greatly pleases me because it means I get to enjoy this more.  There are instructions in the calendar box for how to make traditional style Indian chai - brewing the blend in a mix of water and milk on the stove - and I think I'm going to attempt that with this blend.  It's just begging to be milk brewed like that I think.  I can't wait to see how it morphs with the more traditional preparation instead of just adding milk as I did this morning.  Don't worry - I will keep you posted on the results.

Final thoughts:  10 out of 10.  This is not a "would buy again" situation - this is a "WILL buy again" tea.  This is going to earn a permanent place in my collection of teas that I re-order to always have on hand.