Madagascan Vanilla Chai Tea by Tea & Coffee | Teatico
Overview
A cup of chai built around Kerala black tea and Madagascan vanilla, with the warmth of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black and white pepper, cloves and nutmeg rounding it out, plus a touch of calendula petals. What lands in the cup is coppery and light in tone, and the flavour follows the same line: rich and creamy with a spicy backbone, orange and vanilla up front, cinnamon and nutmeg trailing through a faintly vegetal note. It reads as a dessert-adjacent chai rather than a straight, brisk black — the spice is there for warmth, not heat.
The pairing of vanilla with a full spice mix is what sets this apart from a standard masala chai. Calendula petals are an unusual addition for a chai blend; they don't dominate the cup but round out the visual and the finish. Black tea has long been part of chai traditions for its body and its ability to carry milk and sugar well, and this blend leans into that — it holds up under dairy the way lighter teas often can't.
Brew it with freshly boiled water and give it three to five minutes to steep, depending on how bold you want it. It's built to take milk and sugar if you want them, though it stands up fine on its own if you'd rather keep it black. Either way, the spice and vanilla come through clearly, and the cup stays on the lighter side of copper rather than going dark and tannic.
