Revoluzzion Send Message

Chai-eeeeee, chai-eeeee. Opening this tea sample, I hear the chant of the chai-wallahs emanating from stalls that dot the streets of urban and rural India. I am reminded of the rickety wooden thella – housing a stove, an aluminum pan, and the ingredients required for making tea. Chai…ahh…the aroma!
Tea culture in India was virtually non-existent until the early 1900s when the British made efforts to popularize it, giving rise to the great chai stall. Tradition holds that this particular blend of chai was discovered by accident by a chai-wallah, plying his trade one day in the Lal Bagh garden, when he discovered that rose petals from a bush being pruned nearby had fallen into his teapot.
Bangalore Rose Chai was born.
And indeed, this tea reflects the beauty of that garden. The floral note lends a touch of glamour, softening the taste of spice that we associate with ancient caravans. The black tea (a Ceylon BOP, in this case) is not overwhelmed by the additional ingredients; creating a perfect balance. Add a little milk and honey and it will really shine.
I always like to think the humdrum of life is best ignored over a cup of chai. This loose tea blends all of its characters to string an aromatic and flavoursome tale that could keep me daydreaming for days….