This is one of the most aromatic chai teas that I’ve encountered.  Perhaps it’s the way the mint mingles ever-so-delightfully with the traditional chai spices of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger that just absolutely enchant my olfactory sense.  Perhaps it’s that the spices used here are so extraordinarily fresh.  Or, perhaps it’s a combination of these two explanations; well, whatever the reason, this tea smells absolutely fantastic.

The roasted flavor of the Kukicha provides a nice contrast for the fresh, minty overtones of this blend.  Very often, with peppermint tea blends, the peppermint is becomes extraordinarily dominant and overpowers the other flavors of the blend.  With this blend, the kukicha holds its own; it’s an excellent base for the other flavors.  Likewise, the Masala spices are robust and offer a poised balance of flavors.

Yogic Chai describes this tea as:

Product Details

Herbal Properties:

- Kukicha Tea: Popular among the macrobiotic community. Kukicha is a powerful antioxidant* and is very low in caffeine, in fact the lowest in caffeine of all traditional teas.

- Cardamom: A household spice that is commonly used to support digestion without increasing Heat.* It has expectorant and diaphoretic actions. (sweat inducing)* The mucus forming properties of milk are neutralized when cardamom is added to it.*

- Cinnamon: This warming spice is traditionally used in cold formulas as an expectorant and diaphoretic (sweat inducing).* Due to its warming property, cinnamon is known to promote digestion.*

- Cloves: An energizing herb,* cloves are an effective stimulant and aromatic for the lungs and stomach.* Cloves are used extensively in Ayurvedic herbology.

- Ginger: In Ayurvedic and Chinese herbology, Ginger is known to have heating, cleansing, toning and stimulating properties.* Ginger promotes digestion, relieves abdominal discomfort, dispels chills and it is also useful for relieving respiratory complaints due to phlegm and arthritic conditions due to coldness.*

- Peppermint: Has a mild soothing action on the nerves and digestion, which helps relax the body and clear the mind and senses.*

* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

As you can see from this description, this tea is not only delicious and aromatic, but is also quite good for you!

As we are in the midst of autumn, I chose to serve this hot.  However, I suspect it would be also quite refreshing chilled.  I added a dollop of raw honey which brought out some of the sweeter notes of the kukicha and enhanced the spices perfectly.  Yogic Chai recommends adding maple syrup which I think would also be quite delightful. I also added a splash of half and half, which created a surprisingly pleasant latte — I highly recommend it!