This is an absolutely outstanding tea, and I don't wield such platitudes frivolously. Opening the jar unleashes a powerful, creamy blast of chai aroma, which was mouth-watering for me in anticipation of the taste. Sometimes I open it just to take a whiff; this stuff would make an excellent Christmastime potpourri if it didn't brew up such a richly delicious beverage.

My wife said she could smell the brewed tea well from halfway across the room; to me that's a mark of suitable potency. The flavor was a little spicier and somewhat less creamy than the aroma, but still respectably strong and well-balanced between the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, the top caliber of any spiced chai I've had. The added coconut flavor is barely noticeable but does impart an element of easy smoothness; whereas the creaminess of aroma was more reminiscent of vanilla than coconut. The peppery cinnamon does linger at the back of the throat for a long time after sipping; otherwise the aftertaste is as balanced as the flavor, slowly fading, never too bitter. None of these quirks bother me a bit. The whole is greater than the sum of some very good parts, and this is a certain keeper.

My version came as 3-oz. (dry weight) of loose black tea, cinnamon bark shavings, ginger shavings, cardamom pieces, whole cloves, chunks of orange peel, and bits of black peppercorns (with coconut and cinnamon flavor), in a plastic-wrapped clear glass jar so that all the components are plainly visible.

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