Spiced Darjeeling from Tea District is a bit of an oddity in my opinion.  I’m far from a novice to spiced teas, or chai tea, but this one has one of my favorite spices in it. Pink peppercorns.  That said, when I first opened the pouch, (of course it was the signature black with a resealable mouth) I was hit with the pungent and fragrant aroma of the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and high quality black tea.

These were enhanced by the addition of the pink peppercorns.  Which by the way are NOT a true peppercorn, but a spice made from dried berries of the shrub Schinus molle.  Although it tastes and seasons just like regular pepper, it has a more subtle and subdued flavor, yet brings a lovely color to this amazing tea.

The tea leaves are whole and very dark in color, and accents the bright colors of the pink, and the soft green of the cardamom. The rich brown of the cinnamon marries well with all deep tones of the tea and the brilliant colors of the rest.

This is a wonderful change from the normal chai teas, is a taste sensation that makes for a lovely warm up in the cold evenings of the winter. The liquor brews up to a warm brick red color and smells of heady spice.  The peppercorns add a slight bit of heat on the tongue, without being over powering. The traditional spice mix adds a wonderful nose, and the black tea makes for a balanced and relaxing cuppa. There is a light but distinct smoke flavor imparted by both the peppercorn and the black tea.  Tea District also added natural vanilla flavor, making for a subtle and gentle taste sure to awaken you in the morning and a spicy relaxer after a long cold day.

Tea District describes this blend as:

Description: The Spiced Darjeeling is our version of a Chai Darjeeling complemented with whole peppercorns!
Origin: Darjeeling, India
Caffeine: Black teas, which are fully fermented tea has approximately 45 mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup (compared to on average 90 mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup of coffee)
Taste: Big spicy flavors!
Ingredients: Black tea, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, pink peppercorn, cinnamon flavor, ginger flavor, vanilla flavor
Brewing: Water: 195˚F / Leaves: 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces / Infusion Time: 4–5 minutes

As I’m sure that you all know by now, that I am rarely an advocate of any kind of sweetener, but this (especially as it’s a chai type of tea) needs it.  Don’t over do it though. Too much will overpower the subtle notes that are imparted by the spices and the peppercorns.  As I said before, the heat from the peppercorn is light and pleasing, but is very easily lost with too much of a sweet thing.

I’m on the fence about any cream or milk. Speaking from a strictly culinary stand point, I almost never use pink peppercorn in a sauce with a cream of milk base, but the addition of milk or cream to this tea may be a nice treat to those of you that use it.  Cold or iced is not really a good idea in my opinion.  The warmth of the cinnamon and cardamom, are lost and the tea takes on a bit of an astringent taste that lingers unpleasantly on the tongue.

This tea pairs exceptionally well with a hearty meal like steak or a thick “stick to your ribs” stew.  Even with the addition of a sweetener, hearty and savory dishes make for a taste of the middle east from whence the chai spices originate.

Whole spice and high quality tea, along with vanilla flavor give you a range of flavor both sweet and savory.  The second brew brings out the peppercorn and cardamom more to the forefront and balances out well with the earthy black tea.  A subtle smokey note is also brought out, no doubt from the tea.  The smoke enhances the spiced headiness, without being too strong. The cinnamon becomes a bit of an after note, but is not lost at all.  The vanilla is a natural flavor, and most is used in the first brew, but don’t let that deter you from a second brewing.

Tea District has once again hit the proverbial nail on the head with this lovely warm up.  Black teas, which are fully fermented teas, have approximately 45 mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup (compared to on average 90 mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup of coffee).  So, again, if you need the pick-me-up of coffee and still want to lower your intake, try this distinct and unique flavor combo.