Monsoons are finally here, and nothing spells monsoon better than a nice hot cup of masala chai along with a platter of deep fried samosas and pakoras.
Though traditionally India is known for its classic chai, of late a plethora of other options have swarmed the Indian market ranging from floral infusions to teas that help in weight loss and detox. Recently I was introduced to a very novel online boutique called the World Tea Room which has thankfully ventured into this space and managed to compile an amazing array of teas of all kinds from around the world and brought them right into the comforts of your living room. One can choose from a range of Black, green, oolong, white and herbals varieties as well as the classic chai which interestingly is also available in many flavours.
The promoters of this site sent me a few samples to try out picking out a few classics from each segment of the tea. I reviewed a Golden Tip´s green tea, a classic masala chai, a floral Rose Herb infusion and an Apple Cinnamon tea.
The floral infusion of Rose herbs was extremely aromatic and while it was brewing I could feel the aroma waft through my house. The amber coloured drink was quite herbaceous and refreshing. The Apple cinnamon was a lighter colour when brewed, the aromas equally poignant, but the taste I felt were slightly on the lighter side. The classic green tea, a tea bag version was quite light according to my taste. The masala chai was the biggest disappointment as despite putting two tea bags in my cup, it was quite light, but then I guess the taste of chai varies from person to person.
Coming from the stables of Golden Tips, Nathmulls & Kho-Cha brands, World Tea Room has managed to compile an good selection of teas from around the world including far off places like South Africa, Egypt and Kenya and boasts of a 100+ selection of teas from all kinds of variety. The pricing ranges between 100-3000 depending on the product. However, the products which I tried lacked in the punch and I feel that the makers need to put in a bit more effort into the blends.
The concept, though good, calls for a bit more work on its blends. Overall, an effort that can be lauded for its vision to bring worldwide teas closer to the comfort of everyone’s living rooms.
