
Cardamom comes from the seed pods of a plant in the ginger family, native to the forests of southern India and Sri Lanka and also grown in Guatemala. It has an intensely aromatic, warm, resinous fragrance with hints of citrus, eucalyptus and sweet spice. Cardamom is an essential ingredient in Indian masala chai, where it pairs with black tea, cinnamon, ginger, clove and black pepper. It also lifts rooibos and green tea blends, and loves a splash of milk.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.

Chicory is a hardy plant with bright blue flowers native to Europe, and its root has been roasted as a coffee substitute in France and New Orleans for centuries. Roasted chicory root brews a dark, toasty, slightly bitter cup with notes of caramel and coffee. It blends well with dandelion root, carob, cinnamon, chocolate and vanilla in herbal coffee-style blends. Chicory is naturally caffeine-free, and it is especially good with milk and a little sweetener.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.

Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of evergreen trees native to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, rolled into the familiar curled quills. In the cup it gives a sweet, woody warmth with a gentle bite and a rich, bakery-like aroma. It is a natural partner for black tea, rooibos and fruit blends, especially alongside ginger, cardamom, clove and apple. Try a cinnamon blend with a splash of milk on a cold morning, or brew it strong and pour it over ice.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.

Cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds of an evergreen tree originally from the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, once among the most prized spices in the world. They bring an intense, warm, sweet-spicy flavor with a slightly numbing tingle and a deep, festive aroma. A little goes a long way in chai, holiday black teas, rooibos and mulled fruit blends, where clove works beautifully with cinnamon, orange peel and ginger. Blends with clove stand up well to milk and sugar.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.

Cocoa comes from the roasted seeds of the cacao tree, native to Central and South America and now grown across the tropics. In tea blends it appears as cocoa nibs or shells, adding a deep, toasty, chocolatey aroma with a pleasant dry finish and none of the heavy sweetness of candy. It pairs wonderfully with black tea, pu-erh, rooibos and mate, along with vanilla, mint, orange and coconut. A splash of milk turns a cocoa blend into a cozy dessert cup.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.


































