Some Like it Hot Black Tea

A fiery masala chai-style black tea packed with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and whole chilies—full-bodied, warming, and made for tea drinkers who genuinely enjoy some heat.

The Experience

Some Like It Hot takes the familiar warmth of masala chai and turns up the heat.

This full-bodied black tea is blended with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, aniseed, turmeric, and black pepper, then finished with whole dried chilies for a distinctive spicy kick.

The first impression is aromatic and warming, with cinnamon and cardamom leading into ginger and clove. Then black pepper and chili begin to build, leaving a lingering warmth after each sip. This isn't simply a tea called “spicy” because it contains cinnamon. You can actually taste the heat. Drink it straight for the clearest expression of the spices, or add milk to soften the chili and create a rich, warming chai-style cup.

Tasting Notes

• Top: Cinnamon • Cardamom • Aromatic spice
  
• Mid: Ginger • Clove • Anise
  
• Finish: Chili • Black pepper • Lingering heat
  
• Body: Full

Why You’ll Love It

• A genuinely spicy black tea with whole chilies
• Loaded with recognizable masala chai spices
• Full-bodied enough to stand up beautifully to milk
• Contains whole spices rather than relying on added flavoring
• Warming ginger, black pepper, and chili build through the finish
• Excellent for cold-weather drinking
• A memorable choice for adventurous tea drinkers and spice lovers

Tea & Ingredients

Tea Type: Spiced Black Tea
Style: Masala Chai-Inspired
Flavor Profile: Warming Spice • Chili • Ginger • Cardamom
Ingredients: Black tea, cinnamon pieces, turmeric slices, ginger pieces, aniseed, black pepper, cloves, cardamom seeds, whole cardamom, whole chilies
Added Flavoring: None listed
Caffeine: Yes
Body: Full

How to Brew

Use approximately 1 heaping teaspoon per 8 oz / 237 ml of water at 212°F / 100°C. Begin with a 3–4 minute steep and adjust to taste.

Because this blend contains large pieces of spices and whole chilies, gently mix the tea before measuring so each serving contains a balanced distribution of tea and spices.

For your first cup, start with a shorter infusion. Chili, ginger, pepper, and black tea can all become more assertive with additional steeping.

For a chai-style cup, brew it stronger and add warm milk and sweetener to taste. Milk softens the chili heat while bringing cinnamon and cardamom forward.

Perfect For

Some Like It Hot is made for cold mornings, winter afternoons, spice lovers, chai drinkers looking for something bolder, or anyone who thinks ordinary chai could use a little more excitement. Pair it with dark chocolate, ginger cookies, cinnamon pastries, buttery shortbread, savory snacks, or rich desserts.

Some Like It Hot vs. Traditional Chai

Some Like It Hot belongs to the same broad flavor family as masala chai, but it's intentionally not a restrained interpretation. The blend contains many familiar chai ingredients: black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, aniseed, and black pepper. Then it adds turmeric and, most importantly, whole chilies.

That changes the experience considerably. Traditional chai spices create warmth and aromatic complexity; the chili introduces noticeable heat. Think of it as: Masala chai → warming spice → black pepper → chili heat. If you want a gentler, more traditional spice experience, explore one of our other chai blends. If you're specifically looking for heat, stay right here.

Straight or With Milk?

This is one tea where milk changes the experience dramatically.

• Straight, you'll experience the greatest contrast between the full-bodied black tea, aromatic spices, pepper, and chili. The finish is hotter and more persistent.
• With milk, the heat becomes rounder and the sweeter aromatic qualities of cinnamon and cardamom become more prominent.

A little sweetener takes the transformation even further, creating the familiar sweet + creamy + spicy contrast that makes chai so satisfying. Try it both ways—you may discover that your preferred preparation depends entirely on how much heat you're in the mood for.

Packaging: Our loose teas are sold by the ounce and packaged in food-grade resealable bags.

Explore Our Chai & Spiced Black Teas

Some Like It Hot Black Tea (This Tea)
Chili • Ginger • Cardamom • Warming spice
→ Best for: chai and spice lovers who want genuine, lingering heat

Kama Sutra Spiced Chai Black Tea
Aromatic spice • Full-bodied • Warming
→ Try next if: you enjoy the masala chai character but want less emphasis on chili heat

Pumpkin Spiced Black Tea
Pumpkin • Apple • Warming spices
→ Try next if: you enjoy cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and clove but prefer them in a sweeter autumnal blend

Coconut Spiced Chai Black Tea
Coconut • Cardamom • Cinnamon & ginger
→ Try next if: you'd like your chai spices softer, sweeter, and creamier

Orange Cinnamon Spice Black Tea
Orange • Cinnamon • Warm citrus
→ Try next if: cinnamon is your favorite spice and you'd prefer a simpler, fruitier cup