Kashmir Tchai

One of my favorite Massalas from French Tea Companies.

I’ve heard people complain that Kusmi tea is a little expensive and maybe not the greatest tasting. I’d completely disagree. (The pictures don’t do it justice, the tin I got was huuuuuge.) Kashmir Tchai isn’t particularly surprising, it tastes basically how it smells, and it smells good. Spicy, subtle, good on a winter day.

This tea wasn’t bad, but was also nothing special. At the recommended brew time, the chai flavoring wasn’t spicy enough, and it left the tea very bland. Maybe a longer steep time will improve the flavor, but I can’t see myself rushing back to try that when there are other, better chai teas out there.

Spot-on spice mix! It’s difficult to find bagged chai blends that do the job, but this one definitely excels.

I got a spoonful of this particular tea from TeaEqualsBliss (I think – I have so many little samples from various people floating around).

There are bits of something green interspered with the black tea – are they green tea leaves or something different? I’m mostly getting cloves and cardamom flavours in the tea with a hint of anise maybe. It’s nice enough, but I tend to like my chais bolder and spicier. This tea is quite smooth, and there’s a hint of a “leafy green” taste to it aswell. Nice but I think I like my Tazo chai better.

This is a decent Chai, just not outstanding. It has the signature “smoothness” of a Kusmi tea and that could be one reason I can’t rate this one higher. That smooth lack of tannin I love so much in other Kusmi teas does not seem to serve this one well. I like my Chai’s bond, sassy and full of flavor. This one was just a bit too subdued for my tastes (it almost seemed bland by comparison to other Chai’s I’ve had). If a smooth and mild Chai is your thing though, this is the tea for you!

Loose tea put inside a tea bag then served in a glass vessel — a dark clean and clear gold liquor.

Smells: sweet, cookie, citrusy and spicy

It start with a sweet cookie flavour then the grounded black pepper appear. After a few sips, the cookie flavour is weaker and seem to change into cloves. Now, it is a mix of cloves, cookie and spices flavours. A well balanced smooth chai with a hint of a woody flavour.

WATER USED: Nestle Pure Life

Almost gone. I think I’ll need to mix the rest of this with something else to use it up.
Also, this shows how much Chai I drink, compared to Earl Grey: both Anastasia and the Troika tins are almost full, despite being older than this one(and yes, that’s two tins while this is only one, but I’ve also used up the Vanilla Chai a short while ago, and I can make my own Chai, but can’t make my own Earl Grey, yet still use more premixed Chai than I use Earl Grey, somehow …)

Mild flavour.

S made a 1st steeping with 2 tsp in 8 oz, iced. Not good.

But then J had a 1st steeping with 1 tsp in 8 oz hot. Found a strong cardamom note, with other spices pushed aside. Tried adding a little extra cinnamon, but it didn’t blend well. Added milk and it rounds out the flavors – much more satisfying.

J combined the 3 tsp for the 2nd-6th steepings (5 min, add milk). Still had strong flavor for the 6th. Other spices besides cardamom were more pronounced in later steepings, with clove leading the way.