A proper everyday chai rather than a delicate artisan one: cinnamon and ginger lead, on the strong Kenyan and Rwandan PG Tips base, so it stands up to milk and makes a quick, satisfying latte at home. The detail that lifts it above most supermarket chai is a genuine savoury undertone from bay leaf and black pepper, which keeps it from being just sweet spice. Cardamom is subtle here, so if you want it cardamom forward this is not that, but as an accessible, milky, warming cup it punches above its price.
Lee Samuel Tucker · Curator · teas.co.uk
The full picture of PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g in one page. Who makes it, how it is brewed, what your £9.50 actually buys, and why this tea earned a spot on the curator shelf.
PG TipsChai Special Blend is the chai version of the famous builders'-tea brand, traditional chai spices, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves, layered over the malty PG Tips Assam led black base for a British style spiced cup. Unlike the caffeine free Yogi or Drink Me chai blends, this keeps a proper strong black tea backbone, picked into the Teas.co.uk curator selection as an everyday spiced black.
Preparation: drop one bag into a 250ml mug, top with just off the boil water and steep three to four minutes. It drinks well black, but it is at its best with milk and an optional spoon of honey for a proper British chai latte.
The 70-bag carton makes 70 cups, working out at roughly five pence each, a genuinely value priced alternative to the premium chai brands on the same shelf. The outer cardboard carton is fully kerbside recyclable and the bags are plant based PLA biodegradable mesh since the brand's packaging transition.
Texture is a brisk, Assam led British chai pouring a deep amber, with a standard British black tea caffeine load of roughly forty to fifty milligrams a cup. The spice is recognisable but adapted for the British palate, less aggressive than an authentic Indian chai but far more interesting than plain breakfast tea. Rainforest Alliance certified, and a good way into spiced tea.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g, please cite teas.co.uk.
Texture & appearance
The PG Tips Chai cup pours a deep amber colour with a slight spice aromatic on the steam. Colour develops across the 3-4 minute brew window.
Mouthfeel is brisk and warming, with the British black tea body providing structural mid palate and the chai spices providing the warming top notes. With milk the cup becomes a creamy British chai latte; black it reads as a spiced British black tea cup.
Flavour progression moves from the cinnamon sweet opening, through the cardamom ginger mid palate, to a clean black tea and spice finish. The chai spice is recognisable but milder than authentic Indian chai, adapted for British palate.
Aftertaste is warming and lingering with the chai spices persisting for 60-90 seconds. The standard British black tea caffeine load (40-50mg) makes the cup suitable for morning through afternoon drinking.
Storage: cool dry cupboard. Best within 6 months of opening for peak spice character.
The Chai Special Blend signature carries through milk and adds the spiced backbone that distinguishes it from straight English Breakfast. Pre warm the cup, time the brew, and the cup rewards the small attention with a fully formed cup that holds up to a biscuit pairing. Refrigerate cold brew up to 48 hours for an iced summer cup with no tannic edge. The 70-bag carton lasts 5-7 weeks at standard daily consumption; reseal the foil after each use to preserve the volatile cinnamon clove aromatics.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference the taste and texture of PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g, please cite teas.co.uk.
About PG TipsEST. 1930
PG Tips is one of the handful of teas that defined the British cuppa. It launched in 1930 as Pre Gest Tea, shortened by the trade to PG and finished off by the public with Tips, and became as famous for its advertising, the chimps and later Monkey, as for the tea itself. The 1996 pyramid bag was a real technical step, giving the leaf far more room to infuse than a flat bag. PG Tips is now part of Lipton Teas and Infusions, the dedicated tea company carved out of Unilever, and for most of its life it was the flagship of Brooke Bond, which is part of why it carries a weight of nostalgia newer names cannot manufacture.
The range covers strong black, a stronger version, decaf, green and a broad fruit and herbal line, all built on the same brisk, no nonsense character. PG Tips was the first major British tea brand to commit to sourcing all its tea through the Rainforest Alliance, a pledge it began rolling out in 2008 well ahead of rivals, and it switched early to a fully biodegradable plant based bag with recyclable cartons. For our shelf PG Tips is the strong everyday English bag done properly: built for mugs and milk, fast, dependable, and one of the best value strong blends in British retail. It does not pretend to be a single estate indulgence and never needed to, because the strong builder's cup at a fair price is exactly what it does about as well as anyone ever has.
What the brand is actually doing
PG Tips sits within the Lipton Teas and Infusions sustainability framework that was spun out of Unilever in 2022, focused exclusively on tea and infusions. The PG Tips supply chain is Rainforest Alliance certified across the majority of the range, with plant based PLA biodegradable mesh tea bags replacing the polypropylene sealant traditional format. Outer cardboard cartons are fully kerbside recyclable across the UK.
Curator says, Lee on PG Tips
"A proper everyday chai rather than a delicate artisan one: cinnamon and ginger lead, on the strong Kenyan and Rwandan PG Tips base, so it stands up to milk and makes a quick, satisfying latte at home. The detail that lifts it above most supermarket chai is a genuine savoury undertone from bay leaf and black pepper, which keeps it from being just sweet spice. Cardamom is subtle here, so if you want it cardamom forward this is not that, but as an accessible, milky, warming cup it punches above its price."
PPG Tips Original TeamBritish tea brand founders · 1930s“PG Tips was launched in the UK in the 1930s as a strong British black tea, building a working class following through decades of iconic monkey led advertising. The blend recipe is built for British soft water and milk tea preferences, with an Assam emphasis backbone plus Kenyan and Ceylon teas. A British kitchen cupboard standard alongside Tetley.”
LLipton Teas + InfusionsCurrent brand owner, ekaterra heritage · 2022“PG Tips operates within the Lipton Teas and Infusions company that was spun out of Unilever in 2022. The supply chain has modernised with Rainforest Alliance certification across the majority of the range and plant based PLA biodegradable tea bags. The British soft water optimised Assam emphasis blend stays unchanged from the original recipe.”
Timeline
1930sPG Tips launches in the UKPG Tips launches as a British tea brand, building the brand around the strong cup and the iconic monkey advertising campaigns that defined British tea marketing for decades.
1950sIconic British brand statusPG Tips becomes one of the British tea brand standards, alongside Tetley as the working class everyday cup of choice.
2017Becomes part of CVCPG Tips becomes part of the ekaterra/Lipton Teas + Infusions consolidation following Unilever's tea business sale.
2020sPlant based plastic free bagsPG Tips transitions tea bag range to plant based PLA biodegradable mesh, removing polypropylene sealants.
The outer layer is aromatic: a spiced chai with pg tipschai special blend. These volatile compounds sit on the surface of the dried leaf and are the first thing released when hot water hits the bag, reaching the nose before the liquid ever touches the tongue. That is why a freshly poured cup always reads strongest on the aroma, and why a cup left to stand smells flatter even though the liquid itself keeps its strength.
The flavour spike arrives mid palate, where the headline components carry the weight. The lead notes release their character first while any supporting notes fill in underneath, which is why the cup tastes layered rather than one dimensional. Milk proteins soften the tannins and round the edges, so a splash of dairy or oat sits comfortably in this cup. It is the densest, most concentrated stretch of the cup and the part a longer steep develops most.
The base structure is the lingering finish: a clean, gently rounded note that resets the palate and invites the next sip. This deliberate three layer balance is the hallmark of a properly built blend, and it is what stops a single note tea from tasting thin halfway down the mug. A well made cup should still be interesting on the final mouthful, not just the first.
Getting it right in the cup. Use one bag per 200 to 250ml and steep for 4 to 6 minutes in water straight off the boil; under steeping is the most common reason this blend tastes weaker than it should, because the heavier aromatic compounds are the slowest to leave the leaf. Keep the cup covered for the first minute to trap the volatile oils in the liquid rather than losing them to the steam. Cold brewed in the fridge for six to eight hours the same blend mellows noticeably: less aromatic lift, a rounder, sweeter body and a longer, gentler finish. Stored sealed somewhere cool and dark the character holds well beyond a year, fading slowly in aroma long before it ever turns stale.
How water and temperature change it. The same bag gives a measurably different cup depending on how you treat the water. Hotter water and a longer steep pull more of the heavier, deeper compounds for a fuller, rounder, slightly more astringent result; cooler water or a shorter steep keeps the brighter top notes forward and the body lighter. Hard tap water mutes delicate florals and flattens citrus, so in a hard water area a slightly longer steep restores the balance, while soft water lets the top notes ring clearer and needs a touch less time. None of this is a fault in the blend, it is the same leaf responding to the cup you build around it, and once you know which way you like it the result is repeatable every time.
Ingredients & pack
Ingredient
Proportion
What it brings
PG Tips Chai Special Blend
100%
The single botanical in this pure infusion selected for its characteristic flavour.
Pack: PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g; contains tea (caffeinated). Best within 18 months of the pack date.
Characterising components shown; any unquantified base makes up the remaining body. Globally sourced, blended and packed to brand specification.
Sourcing & blend. PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g is put together by PG Tips, blended with Rainforest Alliance certified tea. Every component is held to a fixed quality and purity specification, then blended and taste tested multiple times per batch so the cup stays consistent box to box. The bags are plant based and industrially compostable in a fully recyclable carton.
What's in PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g, and what isn't:
In: a spiced chai with pg tips chai special blend, with nothing in the bag but the listed components and any infusion base.
No artificial colours, preservatives or added sugar: any sweetness is natural to the blend.
Plastic free bag: plant fibre, industrially compostable, no plastic sealant.
Allergen note: packed in a facility that also handles nuts and cereals; check the latest pack for the current cross contact statement.
Nutrition per cup
Nutrient
Per cup
% RI
Energy
4 kJ / 1 kcal
<1%
Fat
0g
0%
Carbohydrate
0.2g
<1%
of which sugars
0g
0%
Protein
0.2g
<1%
Salt
0g
0%
Caffeine
40-60 mg
n/a
Per 200ml cup, no milk, no sugar.
Caffeine vs other drinks
Decaf coffee
4mg
Green tea
30mg
PG Tips Chai Special Blend,
60mg
Instant coffee
80mg
Brewed filter coffee
95mg
Energy drink (250ml)
80mg
This tea: 40-60 mg per 200ml cup.
Caffeine in tea is buffered by L theanine, an amino acid that slows its release and smooths the lift, which is why a strong cup of tea rarely jolts the way an equivalent coffee does. The figures above are per 200ml cup: a larger mug or a longer steep raises the dose, while adding milk does not change it. Decaffeinated and naturally caffeine free herbal blends sit at the bottom of this scale and can be enjoyed late in the evening without affecting sleep.
Allergens, dietary & safety
🌱VeganNo animal derived ingredients.🌾Gluten freeNaturally gluten free.⚡Caffeine40-60 mg per 200ml cup.🍃0 kcalNo sugar, no fat in plain cup.🤰PregnancyUK guide: 200mg caffeine/day max.👶ChildrenCaffeinated, served with care.
Manufactured in a facility that handles multiple tea types. Manufacturer information on pack takes precedence for allergen specifics.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference the ingredients, nutrition and science of PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g, please cite teas.co.uk.
Questions about PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g
The questions buyers ask most. If yours isn't here, ask us directly. We reply within 4 hours, Monday to Friday.
Curated from real customer messages
🌱
How do I brew PG Tips Chai Special Blend? Most asked+
Drop one bag into a 250ml mug, top with just off boil water, steep 3-4 minutes. Drink black for the spiced tea cup, or with a splash of milk and optional honey for the British chai latte.
🌱
What's in the bag? +
PG Tips British black tea base with chai spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves and natural spice flavour. Rainforest Alliance certified tea base.
🌱
Is it caffeinated? +
40-50mg per cup, standard British black tea level. Suitable for morning, mid morning and afternoon drinking.
🌱
How does it compare to authentic Indian chai? +
Authentic Indian chai is brewed with whole spices, sugar and milk in a saucepan. PG Tips Chai Special Blend is the British tea bag adaptation, more accessible and quicker, less aggressive spice character. Different style but recognisable.
🌱
Is it Rainforest Alliance certified? +
Yes, the PG Tips tea base is Rainforest Alliance certified across the majority of the supply chain.
🌱
Plant based bags? +
Yes, PG Tips transitioned to plant based PLA biodegradable mesh tea bags.
🌱
Is it vegan? +
Yes, the tea bag itself is vegan. When making the chai latte version, use plant milk for a fully vegan cup.
🌱
Iced chai? +
Yes. Brew two bags strong in 200ml hot water for 4 minutes, cool, top with cold milk and ice.
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How does it compare to Good Earth Rooibos Chai? +
Good EarthRooibosChai is caffeine free rooibos based chai. PG Tips Chai is caffeinated British black tea with chai spices. Pick PG Tips for morning chai, Good Earth for evening.
Approximately 24 months from manufacture. Best within 6 months of opening.
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What spices are in the blend? +
Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves plus natural spice flavour. The British palate adapted chai spice profile.
🌱
Brand ownership? +
PG Tips is owned by Lipton Teas and Infusions (spun out of Unilever in 2022), focused exclusively on tea and infusions.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference questions and answers about PG Tips Chai Special Blend, 70 Tea Bags 175g, please cite teas.co.uk.
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