Here we are: The end of the streak.
It’s been kind of weird how many of ICC’s teas have been good. I think that’s all of them actually… They’re well-balanced, nicely flavored, and have lots of punch and nuance at the same time. Sometimes, though, they just don’t hit right. That’s what happened with the Dirty Chai blend, I think.
I could tell from the moment I opened the bag that it was going to be strong, but whether or not that was a good thing is going to strongly depend on your tastes. See, there are two kinds of cinnamon flavoring. There’s spice, like a pinch of cinnamon on your toast or a sprinkle added to your cookies, and then there’s hot. This tea falls into the latter category. The scent of cinnamon is pretty overpowering when the bag is first opened, but I know the flavors you get aren’t always what you smell, so I went ahead and brewed.
I learned two things in the taste test that followed:
I think tea and coffee should stay separate drinks, and this tea is very hot.
The crushed coffee beans are an interesting addition, but the bite they added wasn’t quite enough to balance out the cinnamon, which wasn’t as strong in flavor as it was scent, but it was definitely prevalent and very, very warm.
I generally like a hint of cinnamon, and I really like chai, but this one was focused on heat instead of warmth, so this one’s my first pass for ICC.
My mom should like it, though!