Holiday Chai

This tea by Stash is called Holiday Chai Black Tea.

Flavor: It is has a spicy chai flavor just like any other chai, however, it has a bit of a rum-like aftertaste. As I continued to drink the tea, I noticed there is less of a spicy-chai-burn like in the other chai I have tasted. My conclusion is that although on the first sip, the flavor is there, the spices present are not as strong as other chai. This may be a good tea to start out with, if you are not sure you like chai.

Suggested Additions: The box suggested milk and sugar, which is appropriate, since that is how chai is traditionally meant to be drunk. I tasted it first without any additions, and feel that the taste had a somewhat "unfinished" flavor to it. I used about a teaspoon of white sugar, and since we were out of milk, I used a packet of powdered non-dairy creamer that has probably been in the cupboard since the house was built in 1929. It was quite creamy, and the creaminess blended the flavors quite nicely, and made the rummy flavor pop out more. If I didn't have such a mistrust of artificial products, I would be tempted to switch to "Borden Cremora Royale" (the creamer), however I have no idea what was in it, and prefer natural things. Perhaps next time I will try it with real cream.

Ingredients: Blended black teas, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, ginger, gingerbread and Jamaican rum flavors, nutmeg oil.

Purpose: A unique and fun twist on something traditional. Although this is made with black tea, and I drank it for the caffeine, I do still feel tired, so perhaps this is also a milder black tea. Or perhaps I should sleep more at night.