This became my favorite pre-blended chai upon the first sip. It's one of the few that I think is on par with the chai I make on my own--possibly because the blend of spices is very close to what I would use myself. I did not sweeten it or use milk; I imagine I'd like it with milk, but I think it's plenty smooth as is and I have no need to sweeten, but if I did, I'd recommend honey.

I've tried brewing this a few different ways, but never quite like Rishi's directions. But I absolutely love the results. Rishi's instructions seem to be on the strong side. This is a very strong blend.

The aroma is very strong and of spice: cardamom is dominant in the aroma (which is exactly how I like it), and the cinnamon and clove are noticeable but take a background. The black pepper is also noticeable, although there's just a hint of it. The ginger I don't notice in the aroma as much as I notice it adds a real kick. However, the ginger presence still falls short of the freshly cut ginger (which is more intensely aromatic, and which I prefer to use). The flavor is sharp initially, but melts into a very smooth finish, with cardamon lingering on the tongue.

I also love how I feel after drinking this. It has a noticeably different effect from black tea alone...it almost makes me feel smoother, similarly to how this tea tastes.

This is an absolutely top-notch blend, and I think it also is a particularly good match for my tastes; it's really the only one I've tried that contends with the way I'd make it myself. The only thing I'd change is to use freshly cut ginger, and possibly to take out the cinnamon and replace it with allspice, and possibly add a dash (not much) of nutmeg and/or mace. But even then I'm not sure I'd get the blend quite as nice--it would just be different, not necessarily better. Well done, Rishi Tea!

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