Product Review: Bigelow Vanilla Chai Tea

I’ve been drinking this tea every morning for about a week now. It’s currently my black tea of choice. I’ve only had chai a few times before, and I’ve discovered that I like sweet chai but not spicy chai (no surprise there), so I decided to try this one hoping that it would be in the former category.

The tea is not as flavorful as I’d expected, even with long brew times and going easy on the milk. The sweet chai I’ve had in the past had both a much stronger flavor and a much higher degree of sweetness (though this may be my own fault for not using enough sugar). I was hoping for a recreation of that experience, and this tea didn’t give me that. Perhaps I shall try some other varieties of bagged chai to see if they are closer to the taste of the professionally-prepared chai I’ve had in the past. It may also be worth noting that I’m using the “Quick Method” instructions, not the “Authentic Method”, which may well make a difference.

On the other hand, evaluated on its own merits instead of how it compares to other chais I’ve had, this tea is quite good. The spices lend it a pleasant mild flavor and aroma, and it is quite enjoyable to sit and sip. The fact that chai is served with milk cools it quickly to a nice temperature so that you don’t have to wait around or risk burning your tongue (I tend to be impatient about getting that first cup of tea in the morning). It works quite well for waking me up, and I definitely plan to purchase it again, although I will likely buy something else I haven’t tried first and return to this tea later.

Overall, this is a mild but flavorful tea with many good qualities. If you like strong chai, you might find this variety too weak, but if a mild sweet flavor with an overtone of spices is to your liking, you won’t go wrong with Bigelow Vanilla Chai. Three and three-quarters stars out of five — if it were a little stronger and a little sweeter, I’d go to four.

This one very much depends on your tastes.

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