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Cameron B. drank Vanilla Spiced Masala Chai by Vahdam Teas

4310 tasting notes

Vahdam Advent Calendar – Day 10

And we’re back to masala chai! Although this sounds lovely, I adore vanilla and it goes so well with spices.

Well, I would say the vanilla is quite subtle here. I do get a bit of creamy vanilla immediately at the beginning of the sip, which then gives way to cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. The clove is lingering on my tongue longer than the rest, and it’s bringing out the tannins in the base tea a bit. A whisper of vanilla cream shows itself in the aftertaste as well.

Overall, it’s good, but I do wish there was a stronger vanilla note here. Next time I’ll have to try it with milk, I’m sure it would be delicious that way!

(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIn4CAHg-sf/)

Flavors: Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Creamy, Spices, Sweet, Tannic, Vanilla

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

I Like This

12 likes

6 comments

Courtney
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Love the idea of this one!

Martin Bednář
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Well, this seems like a first masala chai I would like to try from Vahdam.

Cameron B.
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It’s good! I think I prefer the extra cinnamon version so far. :)

Leafhopper
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It’s nice to see a loose-leaf vanilla chai. I still enjoy the decaf version from Stash, but I’m sure this one is better.

Cameron B.
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It sounds like I’ll have to send the remainder off to a few interested parties! XD

Mastress Alita
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My favorite vanilla chai is the one hand-blended from Tea Chai Te using their Mt. Hood Vanilla black tea as the base… it’s so good!

People who liked this

Comments

Courtney
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Love the idea of this one!

Martin Bednář
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Well, this seems like a first masala chai I would like to try from Vahdam.

Cameron B.
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It’s good! I think I prefer the extra cinnamon version so far. :)

Leafhopper
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It’s nice to see a loose-leaf vanilla chai. I still enjoy the decaf version from Stash, but I’m sure this one is better.

Cameron B.
Delete

It sounds like I’ll have to send the remainder off to a few interested parties! XD

Mastress Alita
Delete

My favorite vanilla chai is the one hand-blended from Tea Chai Te using their Mt. Hood Vanilla black tea as the base… it’s so good!

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January sipdowns: 27
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 27

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing