Adagio Chai
By now, most of you know what tea vendors are talking about when Chai is mentioned. Sure the word “Chai” means tea in many languages, but most of us relate to Chai as an often spicey/sometimes sweet/always aromatic/great tasting black tea that originated in India – known as Masala Chai. You can find Chai at your local grocery store or online tea shop in the following types: powder form, liquid concentrate, standard tea bag, and loose leaf. Many tea vendors keep evolving their product lines and now you can find chais that use green tea and rooibos as its tea base. These alternatives to the traditional Masala Chai give the consumer more variety. Adagio has recently started its own line of Chais. I was fortunate to try all of the selections. Chai is a fun tea that is full of character. It’s not for everyone because it is packed with intense flavors and aromas.
Adagio Chai
Adagio’s Masala Chai (black tea/caffeine): This is a solid effort at the traditional Masala Chai. You can see a mix of cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, and ginger mixed throughout the Ceylon black tea. Of the 6 chais I tried from Adagio, this one had the most intense flavors. If you like chai that makes your tongue tingle, this is the one for you. The dominant flavors found in the mix of spices blend to create a very powerful flavored black tea. If you’re new to Chai, the flavor comes from the spices. The quality of the spices and tea used by the tea vendor are crucial to the end result. My only complaint about this version is the use of Ceylon tea. I would have preferred an Assam black tea base. Assam black tea (in my opinion – especially CTC) supports the flavors of the spices better and it can withstand longer steeping times without tasting bitter. Having said that, I enjoy Ceylon teas – just not as the base of the chai.
Adagio’s Thai Chai (black tea/caffeine): Thai Chai just might be my favorite in the bunch. It was the one that I found myself picking over the others. It has a creative and inviting personality. It tastes and looks like they left the clove out of the batch and inserted coconut and lemongrass. The addition of the coconut and lemongrass gives the chai a sweeter flavor and silkier texture. It’s a bit more tame than the traditional Masala Chai. Thai Chai might be more suitable for the casual black tea drinker. Although the tea is not as spicey, that doesn’t mean it is any less flavorful. In fact, this tea bursts with flavor. The aroma of this tea is mouth watering. The lemongrass gives the tea an excellent finish. If you enjoy lemongrass in your black tea, I definitely recommend Thai Chai.
Adagio’s Bengal Green Chai (green tea/caffeine): Very similar to the Masala Chai, but you will find China green tea in place of the Ceylon black tea. All of the same fiery spices are present in this Chai. I really like this… The texture of the liquid is changed simply by substituting black tea for green tea (very smooth). There is a slight vegetal flavor, but it’s quickly masked by the spices. This tea has a very clean finish to it with a pleasant aftertaste. If you are more of a green tea drinker than a black tea drinker, this is your obvious choice to enjoy spiced Chai.
Adagio’s Spiced Apple Chai (black tea/caffeine): I thought the apple flavor paired well with the chai spices; which made it an incredibly warming beverage. This is perfect for a cold evening. I haven’t tried it iced, but you might be able to sweeten-up the tea to make a tasty iced chai. The apple flavor is certainly present, but it’s just an accent to the already powerful blend of spices. I think it’s an excellent compliment, but you still have to like Chai to enjoy this tea. Simply liking apple flavored black tea might not be enough to enjoy Adagio’s Spiced Apple Chai due to the spiced nature of the Chai. The aroma of this Chai is sure to get your attention and anyone standing within 10 feet of your cup – very aromatic.
Adagio’s Chocolate Chai (black tea/caffeine): I love chocolate, but I wasn’t thrilled with this Chai. It lacked the same zing as the other flavors. It does have a pleasing aroma – sweet chocolate, but the flat flavor really brought this one down. With the Ceylon black tea used as the base, Adagio’s Chocolate Chai simply tasted like a flavored version of black tea. It wasn’t bad, I just couldn’t get into the chocolate flavoring while still considering this to be a chai.
Adagio’s Rooibos Vanilla Chai (herbal-Rooibos/caffeine free): This is a great offering for people trying to avoid caffeine. Rooibos is a South African shrub that is loaded with antioxidants and it’s naturally caffeine free. I was really surprised to be able to taste the silky-sweet Rooibos through the mix of powerful spices. The addition of vanilla is a tasty compliment to the Rooibos. If you’ve never tried chai spices with Rooibos, this is a good place to start.
Have fun with Chai. Sweeten it to your liking. Add milk or soy to give it more of a creamy texture.
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I was looking forward to trying a SoBe ready-to-drink tea product. I went with the Honey Green Tea to start. The label states “all natural” and “0 calories.” That certainly sounds like a winning combination. The problem for me from the start with this RTD was the sweetener. My tongue is immediately hit with this blast of sweetness that just simply does not taste natural to me. I can detect the green tea in the bottle; which is a nice find. A hint of honey is also present. I just can’t get past the sweetener. I think that’s what this tea comes down to – can you enjoy the sweetener (Erythritol)? I’ve read a little about Erythritol – it’s natural, etc….It just doesn’t appeal to my sense of sweetness. The aftertaste wasn’t pleasant and it did not quench my thirst. Having said that, I did find the product more enjoyable with food. Drinking it with a healthy lunch, helped to balance out the sweetness.
