Bengal Spice

I was in the mood for a Chai, but it’s late enough in the day that I don’t need the caffeine, so I opted for this one, steeped rather strongly in minimal water, then combined with homemade almond milk, a little coconut milk keifer, & a pinch of stevia. Not bad.

Sipdown!
I finally finished off a box of this and just remarked on someone’s else’s tastng note today that I’ve been drinking this for years, a sweet cinnamon-y concoction that’s nice with soymilk or creamer of your choice.

It isn’t the best herbal chai in the world but it makes me feel kind of warm and cozy since I have such a long history with it.

I dunno what has gotten into me tonight but I have no energy. The ultimate couch potato. So I needed this cuppa comfort tonight, I really did.
I’ll write more tomorrow, and get back to anyone who emailed me- sorry for the delay

Thank you, VariaTEA. :)

Tea of my childhood. I can’t believe I used to steep this forever and put in heaping spoons of honey. Holy moley. It is SO sweet. Cinnamon-vanilla-spice tea.

Definitely off my shopping list at this point, but I’m so glad I had an opportunity to try it again! :)

I used to LOVE this tea. I found it accidentally about seven or eight years ago while housesitting; the owners had a big box and I was tempted to try it, so I did. I actually preferred it steeped way too long, because it would get all syrupy-sweet and cinnamon-y very quickly.

I had a bag of this the other night, and it was… lacking somehow. I oversteeped it my usual way, added zero sweetener, and it was just… thin. Flat. One dimensional. Lowered the rating in turn, however hopefully I’ll love it again someday soon.

Bengal Spice used to be my absolute favourite hot beverage; I brought boxes of it with me when I started university away from home. It was my comfort drink. Then things got busy, I “discovered” tea, and this was pushed to the back of the cupboard. Until now.

I went to check up on my mom, and she handed me her mug and said “I think I’m spoiled on pumpkin chai.. try this.” I never thought I’d be the type of person to say “blegh”. Just awful cinnamon cardboard water in milk. We both agreed to dump the rest of it down the sink.

Maybe.. the box had gone stale (better chuck out the box). I’d like to believe that but I think the truth is that it’s not for me (or my mother) anymore. I wish I could give this a higher rating, just for old times sake, but I’m afraid my face looked very similar to that red dude on the far left of the spectrum.

If you want cinnamon dust in a bag – this is your tea! For devoted fans of tea fannings and dust, you will not be disappointed! Let the exotic colors of the box mesmerize you into thinking you’re not in isle 7 of a mainstreet USA grocery store. Let the exotic pictures on the box transport you to a time when colored water with little-to-no taste was appreciated in more than just an oversized coffee mug with a happy face on it. Your imagination runs wild with the possibilities that someday this tea may join the legendary shelves of teas that carry a name recognized by legacy and grandeur. For now though, you’ll just have to settle for cinnamon-colored water. Dare to dream though! :)

It has been such a dreary, rainy day here today. I went to take my exam this morning and came home and crawled back in bed with my dog and foster kitty. I’m sleepy, and I’m hoping it’s the weather making me feel all tired and headachey, and not a cold or something. Next week is fall break, so I just have to make it through 3 more days – woo hoo!

A couple of years ago, my fiancee came home with a mug of this tea. One of his soccer colleagues makes it in his mug when the weather gets cold and they are coaching outside. He brought my boy a few teabags since he knows that we both like tea. I was amazed at how good it is for being a teabag and also caffeine-free. We keep a box on hand now for those times when we will feel like a spicy chai, but don’t want all of the caffeine late at night. There’s a slight creaminess to it too, from the vanilla flavor. We make this into lattes sometimes, with a little cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. Perfect rainy day tea!

-Large teabag without a string.
-Teabag smells like sweet and spicy cinnamon. Tea liquor aroma is of spicy cinnamon and sweet vanilla.
-Tea liquor aroma is a cloudy dark brown color.
-Sweet and spicy flavor with a smooth vanilla finish. Light cinnamon aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Very good tea. A warming cup. Light chai flavor with a hint of sweet vanilla.

I recently moved into my new place, and my new roommate has a box of this so I thought I’d give it a go since she said I could help myself.

The first time I tried this the other day, I actually enjoyed it. I let it steep for about four or five minutes then took the bag out, and it was like liquid cinnamon heart candies. I don’t recall any other spice. If they’re there, then they’re clearly being drowned out by the cinnamon.

I thought I’d try it one more time now, and I left the tea bag in the water for longer, more like eight minutes, and boy, is it abrasive. It’s like I dumped a few teaspoons of cinnamon powder into my mug and swirled it around in the boiled water. It tastes a lot drier this time around, as it lost its candy sweetness. It’s also burning my lips this time.

Hey, I like spices, but this is a little too single note for my liking. Neither the nutmeg nor cardamom showed up to the party. I has a sad.

Well, I decided to try my Florence/Bengal Spice hybrid tonight. Brewed up 2 tsp Florence with one bag Bengal Spice in 12 oz water for 5 minutes.

Alright, this is pretty good. Initially, the tea tastes like a cinnamon infused Florence, but the chai spices are present towards the end of each sip. This really makes me want to invest in a chocolate chai, perhaps 52teas Mayan Chocolate Chai. The chocolate and spice are quite good together. I may just finish up my box of Bengal Spice this way (but maybe not since Florence in at the less-than-half a tin stage).