Loose leaf. Appearance: small, needle-like green and brown rooibos leaves. Liquor: light brown infusion. The only downside is that there is more than a little sedimentation using my standard tea strainer (the leaves are small). Using a cloth sachet makes a big difference. Smell: clean and sweet. Taste: complex, warm, clean, and a little spicy. I can’t describe the taste with any degree of justice because it really is just amazing. The lack of tannins means that you can leave the leaves in for a long time and the liquor remains smooth and delicious (I left some in before leaving to go workout and even after that it was delicious). And the lack of caffeine in rooibos means that this is perfect for after your caffeine cutoff time (mine is about 5:00 pm). This tisane has a nice second infusion. This also works really well cold. I will fill a cloth sachet with the rooibos, fill a pitcher with water, and then leave it in the fridge over night. This very seriously is my new favorite thing. I don’t like the sediment, but the taste is so amazing that I’m still giving this 8/10. I got it at Enjoyingtea.com. Republic of Tea has a number of green rooibos blends that also look really nice.
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Bio
Attorney in San Francisco. Recent convert to tea drinking, but I’m hooked. I also love experimenting with vegetarian food (meaning I rarely use recipes). Long time chocolate lover.
When I review a tea, I will identify the following information: Source – “Name.” Style, including loose, bag, or sachet. Appearance, referring to the appearance of the leaves dry. Liquor, referring to the appearance of the brewed drink. Smell, referring to the brewed liquor. Taste (self-explanatory). Other insights. Finally, I will give it a score from 1 to 10. Anything in the 1-3 range is something that I disliked and am unlikely to consume again. Anything in the 4-6 range is okay; I am not likely going to buy it again, but if I came across it and wasn’t paying (or past my fairly low caffeine tolerance for the day), I probably would consume again. Anything in the 7-9 range is something I liked, and the higher the score the more likely I will try to keep the particular tea around. I intend to use a 10 rating very rarely, and only for the very best.
General notes:
I don’t like milk or sugar in my tea, except for an Indian style chai masala and certain other exceptional cases. Many black teas are blended to be more on the bitter side, and thus to call for sugar to soften and round the flavors. When I think to try sugar in such a black, my review will note any difference between the straight and sugared taste. I’m doing that for the review process, because if something requires sugar, I’m unlikely to commit to it for one of my standard teas. I can’t imagine using sugar in a green, oolong, or white tea, so don’t expect that distinction in reviews of those types.
Location
San Francisco
