It is December and our tea of the month simply has to be Masala Chai. This tea is supremely comforting and the spices are just what we all need to bring some colour to these dark and cold days.

Masala Chai originates from India of course, “masala” meaning spiced and “chai” meaning tea in Hindi. It is the most prevalent form of tea drinking in the subcontinent, often mixed with plenty of milk and sugar, and it has been become popular across the world. Our take on Masala Chai uses a high quality Assam tea, a strong and malty black tea from northern India, combined with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper and clove.

The history of masala chai likely began with Ayurveda, a traditional medicinal practice that seeks to create balance in the body with herbs and spices at its centre. In Ayurveda each spice has an effect on the body, such as cardamom to lift the mood, clove as an antiseptic and for pain relief and cinnamon for its circulatory benefits. These spices have been taken as a tisane for millennia in India, but it wasn’t until tea farming became prevalent (in the mid-eighteenth century) that the two were combined.

There is no single recipe for Masala Chai, the definition “spiced tea” being so open ended. In India there are family recipes and regional variants, but they often feature similar spices. Our blend aims to strike the perfect balance between the beautiful malty tea and the piquant aromatics of the spices. One of our most popular blends, our Masala Chai is available in our classic tea bags, silken pyramids, or as premium loose leaf tea.

While Christmas and Masala Chai are not directly related in any way, we think it is the perfect time of year to have this as our tea of the month. Many of the flavours such as clove are familiar festive favourites, and the warming nature of the spices are perfect for one of the coldest and darkest times of the year.

Our luxury Masala Chai is a fairly robust cup, perfect to add a bit of colour to your morning, afternoon or those dark evenings. The Assam tea is malty and brisk but is balanced by sweet cinnamon. The ginger and pepper are warming and earthy, while cardamom and clove aromatics compliment the ensemble the way a descant does in your favourite Christmas hymn.

Masala Chai