Intense flavour

The weekly alphabet challenge for this week is I for Intense.
Kind of difficult to think of something which could convey intensity, but hopefully this one will fit the theme.  For years now I have either ginger tea or Indian chai as my morning drink, I need the gentle and healthy kick of ginger to wake me up and settle my stomach. Lately I've found a brand of chai that really hits the spot. What's chai really? It's an Indian drink, black tea spiced with ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and pepper, with a very intense flavour. The Indians drink it with milk and sugar, I prefer it without milk. Today I've tried to imitate the mix with home made spice paste from those spices, will need to try again with fewer cloves :-) 

Thank you all very much for your comments and stars on yesterday's triptych of the Philippine Orchid, glad you also like those pastels :-)