Thai Chai Customer Reviews

This is... odd.

The smell is OVERPOWERING when you open the packet, in a way that I find hard to describe. Lemongrass and chai seem like two things that would go oddly together, and they do, even as a fragrance. It's not unpleasant though, and smells a little like a high-end candle or a perfume oil. Not so much like something I want to eat or drink.

The flavor when the tea is still hot is almost entirely lemongrass. The chai aroma is there on the nose and absolutely nowhere to be found in the cup. I let it cool down a bit and the lemongrass faded back a little and I got the full combination of flavors, but I still don't know what to think about it. It's... fine? I'll drink the sample packet and probably enjoy it, but I can't see myself every reordering it. What a weird combination.

(I drink all my tea black and unsweetened.)

Nice enough. I get a lot of the coconut, cinnamon, and ginger? Sweetening brought out the ginger flavor more, giving it a nice bite. (3 mins @ 200 F, 2 drops EZ-Sweetz)

1 helpful votes

It was an interesting tea. With a spicy finish. I should have had it with cream and sugar though. Hmm, next time.

8 helpful votes

I received a portion of this tea as part of the CommuniTEA box. As such, this might be unbalanced compared to a larger purchase of this tea. Alright, on with the review proper.

Out of the package, the tea smells strongly of coconut, though I can smell the warm spices underneath that. While I can see the lemongrass, it seems as though the coconut is the most prominent portion of this tea. While there isn't as much dried tea in the package as I would usually like for a cup of tea, I can see the majority of the ingredients, so I'm hopeful that the tea will be rather enjoyable.

After steeping for five minutes with 212F water, it creates an amber, somewhat cloudy tea that smells very strongly of coconut. It creates a warm, almost creamy taste on the tongue with a bit of the usual bite that chai has at times that I enjoy with the spices. Really, it doesn't need any sugar at all, though adding some allows the flavors to come out and mix a little bit better than without it.

Overall, it's a nice tea, creamy and full of coconut flavor. As someone who enjoys coconut, I really enjoy this tea. If you don't like coconut, though, I can't see you liking this tea at all. I love it, though, and I'm glad that I have a sample I bought a while back in the cupboard that I can grab to make more of this.

1 helpful votes

Upon opening, the smell was very gingerbready. My communitea packet had much more cinnamon than anything else. Brewed at 200° for 5 min. Once brewed the smell reminded me of a craft store at Christmas, which IMO is not a bad thing (it’s my happy place). I am not a chai person, but I was pleasantly surprised by this. It’s more mild than typical chai. The spices are mellowed out by the creamy coconut, and balanced by the citrusy lemongrass. I enjoyed it straight, but because everyone has been raving about it sweetened, I added a bit of rock sugar and a splash of coconut milk. It did make for an even more pleasant experience. If only I had some vanilla on hand, I think it would have rocketed this into a 5 star drink.

24 helpful votes

I love chai, but was actually expecting not to like this one. I thought the lemongrass would make it weird, instead of pleasant. I love cinnamon, ginger, and coconut, but thought the lemongrass would clash, so I never ordered it (despite being such a fan of chai). I was glad to get the chance to try it in the CommuniTEA this month, and was very pleasantly surprised by how good it was. This chai doesn't contain any peppercorns or anise, just ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom (along with the black tea and the coconut and lemongrass). The black tea isn't actually the foremost flavor, either, it blends comfortably into the background. I didn't notice any bitterness or real astringency with this tea. The coconut really helps blend all the flavors. I think a touch of sugar and cream/milk would make it really delicious. I'll probably order some of this and try it out with a stronger brew, in the more traditional chai fashion. Anyway, it's great and if you like chais, I would definitely recommend it. The lemongrass definitely wasn't weird - it was quite good!

3 helpful votes

I don't like chai, and this tastes like most chais I've had, just with a coconut flavor added. I did try it with some coconut milk, and that just made it creamy but didn't improve the flavor for me. Just not my thing!

3 helpful votes

Sorry I'm just not a fan of the flavors in this. I do enjoy chai tea but I think with the coconut and lemongrass it just ruined the rest of the tea for me

Received in the communitea box. I know this tea says it's a black tea, but I ended up with something more resembling an herbal tea with the color - a light golden color. While a few sips were fun on the palate, the heavy spice soon overpowered and became tiring. I did try it iced as well, since it was a warm day, and found the spice much more tolerable. While this would not be a tea I would purchase, it would be nice here and there, especially to help clear the sinuses.

1 helpful votes

Loved the coconut smell. I drank mine plain and it was a major win. The flavor was creamy, coconut Chai.

1 helpful votes

This is an interesting take on chai tea. The lemongrass and coconut provide an interesting counterpoint to the spices. Without milk and/or sweetener, the ginger offers quite the zing. Such additives soften - almost mute - that zing and bring the coconut a little more to the forefront. The limited sample size in my CommuniTEA packet made for a pleasant cup, but it would be nice to have enough to try this at the recommended strength as I found the base of coconut, lemongrass and black tea a smidge lighter than I might prefer in a chai.

22 helpful votes

I was hyped when I saw the big coconut flakes in the Communitea packet, but a bit surprised when it brewed so light. Accidentally heavy handed with the cream, but I think it doesn't name much difference since I'm still overpowered by the spices. I just can't handle the robust flavors of real chai tea, I'll stick to the white girl version they sell in hipster coffee shops 😔

1 helpful votes

This tea was a decent cup. It earned a like from me, and I wouldn’t turn it down if someone offered me a second. I’m not a huge fan of chai, and it was still enough of a chai I’m not likely to order a larger amount. That said, the coconut element toned it down nicely and made it a good spring/summer chai vs the typical cold weather seasonings.

30 helpful votes

I love this tea, but I love anything chai. The spices in this one are phenomenal

7 helpful votes

A mild chai. I find it difficult to pick out the individual spices, but I could tell that the spice overpowered the lemongrass & coconut, I couldn't

5 helpful votes

I haven't been liking chai style teas lately but this one is very good! I think it's because I prefer a sweet, spiced chai where most are just spiced. The coconut adds a nuance I didn't know I needed in my life.

This tea was a nice balance of spices. I have been trying all of the communiTeas plain to start and admit it became a bit overwhelming after half a cup. Added a splash of sweet cream creamer (don't judge, it was what was handy and open) and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the first cup and a second steep. The sweetened creamer balanced the spices and gave it even more of a Thai tea flair.

15 helpful votes

This tea smells and tastes delightful, like a coconut macaroon! Wonderfully creamy coconut and warm cinnamon flavors come through. You can also taste the lemongrass, which adds a nice and light flavor. I really enjoyed this and the smell was divine!

5 helpful votes

This is a review from a person that does not usually like chai tea. The addition of the other ingredients, not usually found in Chai, blend well and make this an overall great Chai tea. I am giving this 5 stars because for me the coconut saved it. I will order this again to keep on hand to offer a variety to my Chai-loving friends. My son, a chai tea lover, said he would give this 5 stars. It is even better with creamer or milk froth and steeped strong.

24 helpful votes

This was a delicious take on chai! The coconut flavor paired nicely with the ginger, lemon grass, and cardamom. I enjoyed this tea!

23 helpful votes

What a wonderfully spicy chai tea! The ginger, cinnamon, and cardamon blend beautifully with the coconut and lemon grass. A touch of sugar brings every flavor forward and the cup lives up to its name.

18 helpful votes

This tea was a trip! Upon opening the CommuniTEA packet, I immediately smelled coconut, spice, and lemon. The brewed tea is delightfully nuanced with a light and spicy (but not overpowering) flavor that mellows into a lingering coconut. All of this on a smooth oolong base.

4 helpful votes

A very silky chai that has a faint oily sheen on the top from the large pieces of coconut, which leaves a slightly sweet flavor on the tongue and roof of your mouth. It tastes as good as it smells, and frankly it smells the way the perfect hug feels. Ideal for a cold rainy day, or poured over icecream for a warm sunny day.

6 helpful votes

This is one of the select few teas that made me exclaim upon first sip—however, the face I made was not from sheer enjoyment but great dislike. I don't find lemongrass works well in this blend AT ALL. It just serves to add an uncomfortable acidity to flavors I often find better smooth.

8 helpful votes

This tea was so delicious. The coconut and cardamom were so goo together, and the cinnamon was not overpowering. Sometimes chai blends are too spicy and upset my stomach, but the flavors were all so well balanced, and the coconut really mellowed some of the heavier spices, I think. I enjoyed with a splash of brown sugar oatmilk creamer, and it smelled so good I just wanted to take a bath in it. Can't recommend enough.

5 helpful votes

I had this tea before. I like it. It has that Thai taste to it.

1 helpful votes

Wonderful aroma of lemongrass and coconut. The oolong tea is very mild so it takes a backseat. I’m a plain tea drinker but I think this one could benefit from sweetened condensed milk to make a decadent treat! Sure milk and sugar would be tasty too.

Today’s CommuniTEA packet smelled heavenly, like warm vanilla cinnamon buns rising! I used only 8oz water in order to achieve the correct potency intended for chai. This steeped to a warm brown, though cloudy, which I attribute to the shred or two of coconut and the oils within, and it smelled increasingly of spices over 5min. Wow, this was not what I expected or hoped for, and I think I know why. I am particularly sensitive to certain ingredients and do not tolerate those with inherent “heat” very well. Normally I don’t mind chai BUT each chai I’ve had through Adagio is (for me) excessively strong on ginger, several chunks rolling around, and I never think to weed some of them out. This one was heavy on cinnamon as well, but cinnamon zings. Ginger burns. I added more water to dilute my cup slightly but this was still unpleasantly fiery (again, for me) so I did what I had to in desperation and added a creamer. This rare move on my part helped somewhat. I had about half the cup before dumping the rest as I was not enjoying it. At no point did the lemon or coconut flavors surface for me, which is disappointing but also perhaps I got the wrong ratio of ingredients? What I received did not match the picture at all, so it’s possible much more coconut was intended and maybe much less ginger? I do know that chai lovers will enjoy and may also wish for more spice. I wish they could have taken mine, haha.

16 helpful votes

Today's CommuniTEA packet smelled strongly of a melange of spices.
Steeping for 5 minutes at 212°F produced a cloudy light brown tea.

The coconut first announces it's presence through the aroma wafting up from the cup. The first sip is delightfully intriguing with all the spices making an appearance. The lemongrass brightens up the flavor with a limonene accent, while the creamy coconut mingles with zingy ginger, cinnamon and cardamom. The black tea itself is rather mellow and smooth with very little astringency at all. Instead, the peppery spice from the ginger tingles the tongue while coconut soothes and balances it.

This one is very enjoyable, and is a nice departure from a classic masala chai. It seems like the cardamom is actually more detectable in this blend, which is a first for any other Adagio chai blends that I've tried. As the tea cools and the cloudy spices settle onto the bottom of the cup, it becomes more flavorful and peppery the closer you sip towards the end of a cup. Even when cool, the peppery punch is still present.

This is a great chai blend with Thai style flavors and spices. Kudos to the blender!

13 helpful votes

Quite tasty! Thai inspired flavors came through - lemongrass and coconut - and combined well with the chai spices.

6 helpful votes

This tea was really delicious. The lemongrass and coconut lighten the usually heavy taste of a chai tea. Sweetened with a bit of sugar, it makes the coconut more pronounced.

3 helpful votes

Today's CommuniTea packet is Thai chai, which includes black tea, cinnamon, ginger, coconut, cardamom, lemon grass & natural coconut flavor. I'm a chai lover, so I expected to enjoy the tea today, but I couldn't believe how good the chai smelled when I opened the packet. I received more of this in the chai sample box and I assumed I'd like it, so I augmented the packet to brew a 20 ounce pot. It brewed to a lovely bronze color, but not quite as clear as I expected it to be. It still smelled wonderful, but more mellow than a chai packet a couple weeks ago that I wanted to use for pot pourri. Joy of joys, it tasted as good as it smelled! It's really nice without one flavor fighting for dominance. A lovely pot of tea! (20oz of water at 212° F for 5 minutes)

24 helpful votes

Not as strong as I typically prefer my chai to be, but the lemongrass and coconut were nice additions to the more mellow spice profile.

2 helpful votes

I liked today's tea. Spicy like chai, sweet with coconut. I made a fantastic tea latte with it. I sampled this Tea as part of the CommuniTEA April 2021 box.

8 helpful votes

Part of the April 2021 CommuniTEA box. I was not sure of this tea upon first sniff - it smells somewhat like Tom Kha (coconut soup). But the flavor is irresistible! A very nice change up of a tea!

1 helpful votes

I was so sad because I was still in a sleep haze and dumped my tea straight in my cup instead of into my tea filter. And I didn't notice until I had a nice cup with floating leaves. 🙃

That said, I let it steep, and then filtered it. I should have paid attention and read the people saying they used less water, because I definitely wanted a stronger flavor, but I really really liked this one sweetened with a bit of cream. It had a nice spice because of the chai, a smooth brightness because of the lemongrass, but also an almost creaminess with the coconut and cream together. I highly recommend sweetening, because that really, for me, brought the flavors together.

Definitely will be adding this to my favorites list and getting more!

4 helpful votes

I feel like I've tried a lot of chai teas in the past couple months, and I enjoyed them all - which made it difficult to pick a favorite. I also love coconut, so that took this one to the next level and I was finally able to decide that this is my favorite chai.

4 helpful votes

I have had chai, and this is the best I've ever had. The blend is absolutely sublime. Perfect combination of lemongrass to coconut,and thr spices weren't too overpowering

6 helpful votes

This is a lovely introduction to chai if you like lemongrass. The chai spices and lemongrass mingle seamlessly, accented by a subtle coconut softness. The smell of coconut in the pouch was stronger than the taste, in my sample. The chai was very well-rounded, not dominated by any one of the spices. I drank plain, steeped according to the instructions. But I'm sure this would be great with some sugar and fat as well!

4 helpful votes

Made as directed, boiling water steeped for five minutes. Out of the packet the lemongrass and cinnamon scents were powerful, once brewed my first sip was primarily cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and the tea as you'd expect for a chai. The lemongrass was there sharpening these flavors. Adding milk and honey brought out the coconut and the overall effect is heavenly. This is among the best cups of chai I've ever had.

4 helpful votes

This is not my favorite chai. There's something a little off in it, though I can't quite tell what.

Thai chai, my friend, I do need to apologize. A previous 3 oz bag proved to be a bit hard for me to drink you as something was off with the batch. Today, my friend, you have proved me wrong and I fell back in love with you! Thank you for coming back into my life! Still friends?

50 helpful votes

Enjoyed this tea. Pleasant smell before and after it is brewed. I usually don’t like chai teas, but the coconut and lemongrass bring another element to this chai that makes it very well balanced. Tastes good on its own, but is even better with a little sugar and half & half.

16 helpful votes

Yeah, a chai I hadn’t tried yet! This is why I love the CommuniTEA. I have discovered I love the addition of coconut to chai so I was looking forward to this one. After opening the packet, my kitchen smelled like a spicy tropical paradise. Seeing that there was not enough tea for a full cup I only steeped 6 oz. I wanted a strong base so I steeped at 195° for 5 min. I tried it hot with no additions first. It was well balanced. The cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, lemongrass and coconut all played off each other well, no spice took center stage. It was a smooth, warming spice. Today it just screamed to me that it needed to be iced so I stopped sipping, added a touch of honey, a little coconut milk and a handful of ice. Delicious! This is a delightful tea whether you decide to drink it hot or cold.

43 helpful votes

This is a pretty good chai, especially if you're a lemongrass fan. I felt that the lemongrass was stronger than the spices.

2 helpful votes

212 degrees for 7 minutes.
1000% YES! This tea is aahhhmazing! The creamy coconut intermingling with the zing of lemongrass and warm cardomom and cinnamon really spoke to me today. This tea was a perfect balance of spice and mellow sweetness with a fresh spike of citrus to keep it light. Loved this tea!!!

20 helpful votes

I honestly really liked this tea! Kinda reminded me of Tom Kha soup <3 The flavors really complimented each other well

20 helpful votes

This is a fabulous tea if you love coconut. I unfortunately do not. But its got a great fresh fruity flavor with a little spice on the back end.

2 helpful votes

I really this one! The coconut was subtle and the lemongrass was not overpowering. A delightful chai in all!

2 helpful votes

The dry tea smells mostly of cinnamon, and a decent amount of lemongrass was noted compared to the small amount of actual black tea. Once brewed, the tea is a medium brown, and smells heavily of cinnamon. When hot, the cinnamon immediately shines, and the lemongrass and coconut can be tasted underneath. As the tea cools, the cinnamon stops leading the show, and the creaminess from the coconut comes through with a little hint of cardamon, along with some spicy zings from the ginger in the finish. The lemongrass adds a nice complex flavor in more of its grassy notes rather than the lemon, and helps add to this interesting chai blend. The black tea takes a back seat to the rest of the blend, and no bitterness or tannins were detected. I appreciate that the cinnamon isn't overwhelming in the blend, and the coconut adds a nice sweetness and mouthfeel to the cup even when no milk or sweetener is added. Brewed at 200 for 5 minutes.

6 helpful votes