Green chai is always a tricky one for me; I think of masala chai as being a blending tradition that is inextricably woven into the flavor profile of strong black teas. While traditional masala chai goes well with milk, I think of green tea as not going well with milk at all. I never know what to expect when I try a green chai, and most of them end up not seeming to work.

I thought this one was very different from other blends I've had. It uses roasted green tea as a base, rather than a normal green tea--and the blend of spices is completely different from what I'd normally expect. After the tea, the second ingredient is peppermint, and the third is licorice, followed by fennel. That's different...and the combination works, surprisingly.

Brews up a rich light brown color, rather clear. Flavor is mild but a little edgy. This tea has some bite, I think from the ginger, clove, and possibly pepper, but it also has some depth and body. The initial sip is creamy and smooth, but it develops a peppery sensation and leaves a cooling and tingly quality on the palate.

Aroma is a little creamy. I detect some cardamom and clove, and some ginger, especially in the peppery finish, that accumulates more upon drinking. Even with them being main ingredients after the tea, the peppermint and licorice blend well into the background, almost vanishing if I'm not thinking about them.

The final verdict is that this is a good tea, with well-chosen ingredients, but in the end, I still like spiced black tea better (including Wegman's masala chai, which is a very good example of a pre-blended one). If you like spiced green teas though, I would really recommend this one.

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