Crofter’s Chai – Seaidh a’ Chroiteir

Earthy

Naturally Sweet

Malty

Smoky

Spicy

Recyclable Packaging

Pesticide Free

Blended in Scotland

Le sùil air ar n-eachdraidh ‘s sùil eile air Alba ioma-chultarail an latha an-diugh tha Seaidh a’ Chroiteir a’ fighe ri chèile spìosraidhean an oirthir ‘s fàileadh ceò na mòna airson blasan an ear ‘s an iar a thoirt còmhla.

Mìlsichibh le mil no siucair a-rèir ur toil fhèin. Faodar dinnsear ùr a chur ris ma thogras sibh.

—

Crofter’s Chai was inspired by Scotland’s past traditions and multicultural present. Recipient of a prestigious 2-star Great Taste award in 2026, it combines the spice of the orient and the scent of Hebridean peat smoke. It is a full-bodied delight, offering a pleasant smokiness reminiscent of cosy evenings in front of an open fire, complemented by a complex spiciness that would be at home in any of the Scottish Asian community’s wonderful restaurants. It is therefore a true fusion of flavours, blending traditional and modern elements of Scottish culture, to create something new and unique.

In a nod towards some of the inspiration behind its taste profile – the peated whiskies of the Isle of Islay, as well as a good whiff of an open fire – Crofter’s Chai has fully bilingual packaging in English and Scottish Gaelic. For the name, we looked to the traditional dwellings of the Highlanders and Islanders, who spent many centuries, right up until relatively recently, living in crofting communities – small farming villages with a communal ethos, from which countless songs and stories have sprung.

And so, Crofter’s Chai was born!

Sweeten with sugar or honey to taste. You may also want to add fresh ginger.

Crofter’s Chai is a smoked tea variant on our house best-seller, Yogi Chai Masala

Crofter’s Chai & the Gaelic Language

For our Crofter’s Chai labelling, we decided to pay tribute to the living language of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, by creating fully bilingual English and Scottish Gaelic packaging.

Gaelic was once the dominant language of much of Scotland, but has gradually been pushed to the fringes, so that the most recent census indicated there are only around 70,000 speakers remaining, with many native speakers of advanced years. It is classed as an endangered minority language.

It was important for us not just to pay lip service to the language, so we enlisted the help of renowned Gaelic consultant and old friend of the Tchai-Ovna, Àdhamh Ó Broin, to make sure we got our translations correct and complete. As he explained:

“Gaels were some of the first people to suffer what has been described as internal colonialism within the British Isles, whether in Scotland, Ireland or the Isle of Man. Their Gaelic language was subjected to a sustained and thorough extirpation, which has resulted in its present day consignment to the western fringes. In Highland Scotland, the cultural devastation for Gaels which followed on from the failed Jacobite Risings, Clearances and the 1872 Education Act was termed “ethnocide” by native scholar Iain MacAonghais.”

We are therefore proud to honour Gaelic culture and language with our bilingual packaging, a small contribution towards ongoing efforts to keep alive this beautiful, lyrical tongue.

The Taste of Our Smoky Scottish Tea Blend

Crofter’s Chai is built on smoky Lapsang Souchong black tea, giving it a bold, campfire-like character quite unlike anything else in our range. Alongside the smoke, we use direct-sourced Sri Lankan “true” cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), Keralan green cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves, ginger and chilli — the same spices found in our house chai, given a distinctive Highland twist.

A cosy companion for a cold evening by the fire — and, for whisky lovers, a smoky, non-alcoholic alternative that pairs naturally with an after-dinner dram.