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Chai / Spiced Tea

Wikipedia: Masala_chai | Teaviews: chai-tea 
Last Updated: Jul. 29, 2015 

About Chai / Spiced Tea

Cup of tea with milk, in purple cup on purple saucer, on a glass table with wooden frame, with brown tile floor underneathChai (Cup of Masala Chai, Spiced Tea with Milk), Photo © innacoz (Flickr), CC BY-ND 2.0.
Chai, properly called masala chai, is Hindi for "spiced tea". The word "chai" just means tea, so terms like chai tea, although in widespread use, are redundant. A more accurate term is spiced chai.

Masala chai is a drink made by brewing tea, usually black tea, together with spices. Often, but not always, milk and sweetener, such as honey or sugar, are added. Sometimes condensed milk is used. If the milk is steamed, as with an espresso machine, the result is called a "chai tea latte".

Typically, masala chai is mixed up at the time of brewing, adding spices to taste, although, especially in the U.S., it is also sold pre-blended in teabags. A few companies sell green or herbal teas in a similar style to masala chai.

RateTea lists all pre-blended masala chai mixtures in this category. However, you can make your own spiced chai by blending spices with tea. For a classic flavor, try starting with an Indian black tea such as Assam.

Spices used in masala chai

Blend of black tea leaves with green cardamom pods, cloves, and some other dried chunks of spicesThis masala chai has a typical blend of cardamom, clove, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper.
Traditional Indian masala chai is diverse and varies regionally and based on personal taste. Spices most commonly used include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorn, and cloves. Other spices, herbs, and flavorings, such as nutmeg, rose, liquorice, vanilla, or mint are occasionally used.

When only one spice is used, the resulting blend is usually named with the spice itself, such as cinnamon black tea or tea with cardamom: the term "chai" is usually reserved for blends including multiple spices. Black tea blended with cardamom, or "cardamom tea" is widely consumed in the Middle east.

Recent Chai / Spiced Tea Reviews — RSS rss icon

80 / 100
Picture of Kama Sutra Chai

Kama Sutra Chai from Shanti Tea

Style: Chai / Spiced Tea – Region: India
Jul. 24th, 2024

This makes a very sweet, floral chai, which is not surprising, since it contains 3 kinds of flowers, in addition to cinnamon and other spices. The flavor is a little extravagant, but nice. I see that my review is very different from Alex's - maybe the formula has changed, or perhaps our taste buds are different.

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68 / 100
Picture of Chai Spice Black Tea

Chai Spice Black Tea from Stash Tea

Style: Chai / Spiced Tea – Region: ?????
Jul. 5th, 2024

Here's another tea that has been around a long time, but somehow, I haven't tried nor reviewed it until now! A restaurant in Minnesota served this tea on good water, and I got a second bag to take home and chug as well.

Both times, the impression I got was: this is a pleasantly good, herb-dusted cinnamon infusio...

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67 / 100
Picture of Kadak Masala Chai

Kadak Masala Chai from Udyan Tea

Style: Chai / Spiced Tea – Region: Assam, India
May. 31st, 2024

This is an ok chai, the aroma is nice. It seems the cardamom and cloves are the 2 spices that most come through in this blend, I wish there was a little more flavor and aroma. It's a bit astringent and I would probably prefer this with milk. It's a little thin too, it's definitely not my favorite cup of chai but it was...

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85 / 100
Picture of Organic Masala Chai Black Tea

Organic Masala Chai Black Tea from Wegmans

Style: Chai / Spiced Tea – Region: India
May. 22nd, 2024

I really enjoy this tea! Disclaimer: I'm cleaning out my old tea cabinet and found this tea from 2014, so it is 10 years old now. Despite its old age this tea stayed very pleasant tasting, it was mellow and warm and comforting. The black tea itself mellowed out which I don't mind, and the spices like cardamon and cinna...

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88 / 100
Picture of Vanilla Spice

Vanilla Spice from Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd

Style: Vanilla Chai – Region: Blend
Dec. 28th, 2023

Looking over the large ingredients list for a loose tea (Keemun and Ceylon tea, cinnamon, ginger, fennel, cocoa nibs, cardamom seeds, roasted carob, Indian sarsparilla root, natural and artificial flavors), it seemed a little disjointed. I wasn't sure this was going to work. I'll assure that it does, very nicely.
...

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Top Reviewers

RankUser#%
1Reviewer icon Alex Zorach3116
2Reviewer icon Tchuggin' Okie2211
3Reviewer icon Sylvia2111
4Reviewer icon Brytta Sóþword179
5Reviewer icon Amanda 137

Review 14 teas to get on this list!

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Most-Rated Chai / Spiced Tea

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Chai Spice Black Tea

Brand:Stash Tea
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:?????
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Teabag
23
11 Ratings
Picture of Mtn High Chai

Mtn High Chai

Brand:Two Leaves and a Bud
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:Assam, India
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Sachet
33
10 Ratings
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Chai Classic (Formerly Organic Tazo Chai)

Brand:Tazo Tea
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:Assam, India
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Teabag
30
9 Ratings
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Chai (formerly Indian Spiced Chai)

Brand:Twinings
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:?????
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Teabag
4
8 Ratings
Picture of Golden Chai™ - Spiced Assam Black Tea

Golden Chai™ - Spiced Assam Black Tea

Brand:Numi Organic Tea
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:Assam, India
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Teabag
39
7 Ratings

Top-Rated Chai / Spiced Tea

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Masala Chai

Brand:Rishi Tea
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:Blend
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
98
4 Ratings
Picture of Thai Chai

Thai Chai

Brand:Adagio Teas
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:?????
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
92
3 Ratings
No image of this tea

Spiced Chai

Brand:Trader Joe's
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:?????
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Teabag
92
3 Ratings
No image of this tea

Maharaja Chai Oolong Tea

Brand:Teavana
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:Blend
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
80
3 Ratings
No image of this tea

Tazo Chai Full Leaf

Brand:Tazo Tea
Style:Chai / Spiced Tea
Region:?????
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Sachet
73
4 Ratings

Varieties, Kinds, or Types of Chai / Spiced Tea

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