IndiaOverview
Variety is the whole argument. The chais begin with India's Original Masala Chai and run through Sweet Cinnamon, Earl Grey Masala, Ginger Chai Spice and Vanilla Spiced. The Darjeeling Premium First Flush and the Daily Darjeeling Second Flush sit among seven blacks that also include Applause CTC Assam and an English Breakfast.
Kashmiri Kahwa leads the greens, a High Mountain Oolong and an Imperial Himalayan White cover the lighter end, and turmeric, ginger and chamomile tisanes balance the spice. Vahdam says it buys direct from more than 150 plantations and small farms across Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri, Kangra and Sikkim.
Loose leaf means a strainer or infuser is part of the deal. Oprah's Favorite Things featured Vahdam in 2018 and 2019.
Taste & variety
Every door is a different tea, and the range is wide. Five chais (India's Original Masala, Sweet Cinnamon, Earl Grey Masala, Ginger Chai Spice and Vanilla Spiced) make spice the biggest theme. Seven blacks include a Darjeeling First Flush, a Daily Darjeeling Second Flush and Applause CTC Assam, with English Breakfast, Unitea, Earl Grey Citrus and Blooming Rose.
Five greens run from Kashmiri Kahwa to Ginger Mint. Five tisanes lean on turmeric, ginger and chamomile, and a High Mountain Oolong and an Imperial Himalayan White fill the last gaps. Only seven blacks in 24 doors is a modest share for a black tea drinker, and worth knowing.
Packaging & gift appeal
Eight of the teas come in 5 g portions and sixteen in 10 g, which adds up to about 200 g of leaf, more than three times the weight of a bag-based calendar such as Fortnum & Mason's. That bulk is the main practical fact about this box.
It will not slip into a coat pocket, and it asks for storage away from sunlight. Vahdam packs its teas at its own facility in Delhi, having bought them from growers within one to three days of production, according to the company.
What is in the box
24 loose leaf teas (five masala chais, seven black teas, five green teas, five herbal tisanes, one oolong and one white), sixteen in 10 g portions and eight in 5 g portions, about 200 g in total.
Key features
- 24 different loose leaf teas in 5 g and 10 g portions, about 200 g in all
- Five chais, seven blacks, five greens, five tisanes, an oolong and a white
- Teas from Indian farms, including Darjeeling first and second flush
- From Vahdam, founded by Bala Sarda in 2015 and packed in Delhi
Our verdict
A trip through India's tea regions, from Kashmiri Kahwa and High Mountain Oolong to two Darjeeling flushes, in about 200 g of loose leaf. Give it to someone with a strainer, patience and a taste for chai. Anyone who wants a quick bag at a desk should look elsewhere.
What we like
- 24 genuinely different teas
- Darjeeling flushes, an oolong and a white tea
- Loose leaf in a gift set with real weight
A few things to know
- Needs an infuser or strainer
- Chai-heavy line-up, with spice the biggest theme
- Only seven of the 24 are black teas
Questions about Vahdam Advent Calendar Gift Set, 24 Teas
What is in Vahdam Advent Calendar Gift Set, 24 Teas?
24 doors. 24 loose leaf teas (five masala chais, seven black teas, five green teas, five herbal tisanes, one oolong and one white), sixteen in 10 g portions and eight in 5 g portions, about 200 g in total..
