Traditional Masala Chai Black Tea

A full-bodied black tea layered with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, clove, and nutmeg—a robust, spice-forward chai designed to be enjoyed straight or traditionally with milk and sugar.

The Experience

Traditional Masala Chai Black Tea is the place to start if you want to experience the classic flavor structure of chai: strong black tea, aromatic spices, warming heat, and enough body to stand up to milk.

The blend combines black tea with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black and white pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Cardamom and cinnamon provide the aromatic opening, ginger and pepper build warmth through the cup, and clove and nutmeg add deeper spice to the finish. The black tea is processed using the CTC (Cut, Torn and Curled) method, creating a strong, quick-infusing foundation that won't disappear when milk and sugar are added.

The result is bold, warming, aromatic, and distinctly spice-forward—a versatile chai that can be brewed simply as tea or prepared as a richer milk chai.

Tasting Notes

• Top: Cardamom • Cinnamon
  
• Mid: Ginger • Clove • Nutmeg
  
• Finish: Black pepper • Warming spice • Brisk black tea
  
• Body: Full

Why You’ll Love It

• A classic combination of seven traditional chai spices
• Whole spices rather than added flavoring
• Strong CTC black tea designed to carry milk beautifully
• Full-bodied, aromatic, and warming
• Delicious straight or with milk and sugar
• An excellent introduction to masala chai
• A versatile foundation for experimenting with your own chai preparation

Tea, Grade & Ingredients

Tea Type: Spiced Black Tea
Style: Masala Chai
Processing: CTC — Cut, Torn and Curled
Grades: BOP — Broken Orange Pekoe • BP1 — Broken Pekoe 1
Origins: India, Kenya & Thailand
Ingredients: Black tea, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black and white pepper, clove, nutmeg
Added Flavoring: None listed
Caffeine: Yes
Body: Full

How to Brew

For a straightforward cup, use 1 heaping teaspoon with The Perfect Measure Spoon per 8 oz / 237 ml of water at 212°F / 100°C.

Mild: 2–3 minutes
Medium: 4–5 minutes
Strong: 6–7 minutes

Because this blend contains tea and spices of different sizes, gently mix the loose tea before measuring for a more balanced serving. Enjoy it straight to experience the individual spices, or add warm milk and sugar for a richer, more traditional chai-style cup.

Make It Chai-Style

For a creamier cup, brew the tea stronger than usual, then add warm milk and sweetener to taste. Milk softens the briskness of the CTC black tea and rounds out the pepper and ginger, while sweetness brings cinnamon and cardamom forward.

For an even richer preparation, the tea can be gently boiled for 8 to 10 minutes in a combination of water and milk, allowing the spices and tea to develop together.

Perfect For

Traditional Masala Chai is especially satisfying for cool mornings, afternoon breaks, after-dinner sipping, or anytime you want something warming and substantial. Pair it with samosas, pakoras, biscuits, butter cookies, cardamom pastries, ginger cookies, toasted nuts, or lightly sweet breakfast breads.

What Is Masala Chai?

Masala chai isn't one fixed recipe. In Hindi and several other South Asian languages, chai simply means tea, while masala refers to a mixture of spices. What many Americans simply call “chai” is therefore more accurately described as masala chai—spiced tea.

Recipes vary enormously across India and from household to household. Black tea is commonly combined with milk, sweetener, and spices, but the particular spices and their proportions are not universal.

This blend uses a familiar combination: Ginger + cinnamon + cardamom + black & white pepper + clove + nutmeg. Rather than searching for one definitive “authentic” chai recipe, think of masala chai as a living tea tradition with countless regional, household, and personal interpretations.

Why CTC Tea Works So Well in Chai

Look closely at the tea, and you'll notice that the leaves don't resemble the long, twisted leaves of many orthodox teas. That's because they're made using CTC processing—Cut, Torn, and Curled. CTC creates small tea particles with substantial exposed surface area. They infuse quickly and produce a dark, strong, brisk cup, which is particularly useful when preparing chai with milk.

A very delicate tea can disappear underneath milk, sugar, ginger, and cardamom. CTC does the opposite. It provides the structure that allows you to taste tea and spice together, even in a rich preparation.

Understanding the Spice Layers

One of the best ways to appreciate this blend is to notice that “spicy” doesn't describe just one sensation.

• Cardamom is intensely aromatic and distinctive.
  
• Cinnamon contributes familiar warming sweetness.
  
• Ginger provides lively heat.
  
• Black and white pepper sharpen the finish.
  
• Clove adds deep, concentrated warmth.
  
• Nutmeg rounds the blend with another layer of baking spice.

Taste the tea straight first, then add milk. You'll notice how dramatically the same ingredients change: the sharper spices soften, the aromatics become rounder, and the entire cup feels richer.

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

Explore Our Chai & Spiced Black Teas

Traditional Masala Chai Black Tea (This Tea)
Cardamom • Ginger • Cinnamon • Pepper
→ Best for: discovering a classic spice-forward chai that's excellent with milk and sugar

Some Like It Hot Black Tea
Chili • Ginger • Cardamom • Pepper
→ Try next if: you love traditional chai but want genuine chili heat

Kama Sutra Spiced Chai Black Tea
Warm spice • Aromatic • Full-bodied
→ Try next if: you want to explore another interpretation of spiced black tea

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

Pumpkin Spice Black Tea
Pumpkin • Apple • Warming spices
→ Try next if: you enjoy chai spices but want them wrapped in a fruitier, autumnal profile