When Nespresso Club members around the world were asked to vote for their preferred new limited edition Christmas variation from a choice of Masala Chai, Cioccorosso or Liminto, my vote immediately went to the Masala Chai. The description of a heady mix of cinnamon, star anise and clove was by far my ideal choice for a new variation. Even though this was not the winning variation in the UK (we got the Cioccorosso instead - see my review here), I've finally managed to get my hands on the Masala Chai from the US.
The packaging and capsule color is identical to the Cioccorosso, so I won't be adding these to my Nespresso pod holder unless I wish to be surprised whenever I make a cup.
My expectations of a cinnamon spicy coffee were not fully realised with this Nespresso Masala Chai. When I brewed a cup, I was expecting the spicy scent to immediately fill my kitchen. Instead the actual spices are quite subtle and provided just a hint of flavor overall. Surprisingly I found that the stronger flavor note, after the deliciously smooth espresso itself, was in fact a sweet tea flavor. Somehow Nespresso have captured the chai part of a masala chai more than the actual spices. I'm sure this limited edition variation will be lovely for making delicious chai lattes, but I know I'll be tempted to add a bit more cinnamon warmth to perk up the flavor. Perhaps my expectations were a little too high with this Masala Chai. I've always found the Nespresso Variations to be extremely successful but this one, although still very enjoyable, fell a little short for me.
Have you tried the Masala Chai? I'd love to know what you thought of it so please leave a comment below.