It's no secret that I absolutely adore drinking Chai, I do like a good spiced tea. However, when I was pregnant I couldn't stand anything spiced and pretty much went off of tea completely for a while... so it was with great pleasure that I recently discovered Tea India Cardamom Chai lurking in the back of the cupboard. I had obviously bought it a while back on one of my many tea discovering shopping trips...

So out it came and I have been enjoying drinking it daily ever since!

Tea India Cardamom Chai in my opinion is best drunk with added milk and some sugar, for a delicious, warming and sweet Chai flavour. Although me being me, trying to avoid too much added sugar,  have ditched the sugar bit, it is still gorgeous but I just get the feeling that a more authentic taste is with the sugar ;)

I don't leave my tea bag in too long and this gives it a fab, not too strong taste. I think this is an ideal drink in these cold, icy winter months and a good alternative to that other winter fave Hot Chocolate.

I must admit to liking cardamom in general, so if this sounds like this is your thing... I implore you to give it a go!

I have only recently got back into drinking tea after going completely off of it in early pregnancy. Pre pregnancy I loved my chai lattes but as well as going off of tea (well everything food and drink really!) I also had an aversion to spices which to an extent still hasn't abated completely...

However, I was sent a box of Tick Tock's Rooibos Vanilla Chai and I am finally able to bring my review of this naturally caffeine free hot drink.

Tick Tock say

Bursting with exotic chai spices including cinnamon, ginger and cardamom, as well as smooth Madagascan vanilla, every cup of Rooibos Vanilla Chai promises pure pleasure.

An irresistible treat! Alive with inviting spice notes and a smooth natural sweetness, every cup of Rooibos Vanilla Chai promises pure pleasure.

Inspired by India’s vibrant tea culture, our Chai (spiced tea) balances traditional spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove with natural Madagascan vanilla and delicious Rooibos Tea.

Because Tick Tock Rooibos is gentle, low in tannin and naturally caffeine free, this deliciously indulgent blend can be enjoyed by the whole family, with or without milk, throughout the day and at bedtime.

My appetite for Chai Teas hasn't abated so last week I was perusing the tea aisle and came across Vanilla Chai from Pukka Organic Teas which promptly found its way into my shopping basket.




Pukka say 

A caffeine-free cup of fairly-traded sweet organic vanilla tingling with cinnamon and ginger – climb on her back, she’s ready to lift you up: a fairly-traded magic carpet of sweet organic vanilla tingling with cinnamon and ginger – and tender with cardamom, fennel and licorice.

There’s no caffeine here, just six herbs bristling with energy. So heat some water and off you go - an aromatic sensation in a cup.

My thoughts 

I liked the fact that that was caffeine free and I was looking forward to trying it out. I am pleased to report that this tea lives up to expectations. It has the perfect mix of sweet and spice, there is a real kick in its spice and it is heavy on the cinnamon flavour which I really like. I think it is a great tea to drink anytime of day as it is caffeine free. I have to be honest and say that I don't really detect the vanilla in the cup but no matter this doesn't ruin the enjoying of the tea in any way.

I have tried it with just hot water as per the instructions but have also tried it with milk for a traditional style chai latte and it works both ways. For simplicity it is fine with just hot water and packed with flavour. This isn't one of your wishy washy herbal teas, this is a full impact tea.

Does anyone remember Dentyne Chewing Gum? I haven't had it for years but Vanilla Chai is like drinking liquid Dentyne. So nice!

Pukka Vanilla Chai comes in a box of 20 individually wrapped bags 

Browsing the tea aisle my eyes were drawn to this new tea from Twinings - part of their Loose Leaf Pyramid range - Nutty Chocolate Flavour Assam. Well I found it too hard to resist and it found its way into my shopping basket...

Twinings say 

A sweet chocolatey and creamy hazelnut taste, like a praline truffle.

As a bit of a tea fiend I love seeking out new and different flavours and my interest was piqued by these delicious sounding teas from Bluebird Tea - Rhubarb & Custard and Candyfloss no less!

Bluebird say 

"Our passion comes from creating your perfect cup of loose leaf tea! We love to mix up unique and exciting tea blends in flavours that have never been seen before to make people smile!"
Our Rhubarb and Custard Tea really is a pairing made in heaven. This naturally caffeine free, antioxidant rich rooibos tea blend will satisfy your sweet tooth with less than 1 calorie p/cup!
Join us at the fair with this sweet + scrumptious Candy Floss white tea.
*PR Samples

Having drunk loads of chai teas/lattes at home I thought it was about time I investigated and tasted the offerings of the high street coffee shop chains...

Chai Tea Latte - Originate from India and are usually a black tea with the added feature of a blend of spices like Cardamom, Cinnamon, Ginger and Pepper (or variations of this). They are sweet, spiced teas that you can drink with milk or for added sweetness sugar is added.

I visited Caffe Nero, Starbucks and Costa and took the taste test. So how did the big 3 compare?

Caffe Nero



Caffe Nero say

An exotic blend of cinnamon, spices, black tea and sugar with steamed skimmed milk and a layer of foam, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Warm, soothing and 99% caffeine free. This drink is made in grande size only.

The chai latte blend contains milk powder, so even if this drink is made with soya milk it would not be suitable for a dairy free diet.

My thoughts 

Mild, sweet, milky and with just a hint of spice. It is available in one size only. I was asked if I wanted to add the cinnamon topping which I said yes to. This was perfect for a cold, miserable day. The sweetness, and it does taste very sweet, hit the spot on that day and was extremely comforting. As it was quite a large drink I found it really filling too.

Starbucks 


Starbucks say 

Spiced black tea blended with steamed milk.