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“Well, I held off on trying this one… not just for the three week time frame that I typically wait, but because I am not always as enthusiastic about rooibos as I am tea. But, since autumn is on...” Read full tasting note
“I think that Frank of 52teas has a gift with rooibos, just as he does with honeybush. I think rooibos might be more difficult in that it is less naturally sweet, and so needs more careful...” Read full tasting note
“This was oddly sweet, and not as woodsy as I’d expect a rooibos to be. Maybe I didn’t steep it long enough (I’m a chronic shaver of steeping times because I just hate the bitterness that comes...” Read full tasting note
“I was….less than impressed with this tea, which made me sad as I was really looking forward to it. Frankly, it tasted like a good rooibos base with a bunch of artificial flavoring, which is sad,...” Read full tasting note
I may have mentioned last week that spring often puts me in mind of fall, which is really my favorite-est season of all. There is something magical about the leaves turning to gold and rust and carpeting the lawn, the smell of woodsmoke as people get their fireplaces going again and the autumn harvest the last of the fresh honey for the year. I tried to come up with a blend that screamed “Autumn” this week, and I think, well, I’ll let you tell me if I’ve succeeded or not.
I started with a nice caffeine-free rooibos base for that tinge of woodiness it has which I associate with leaves crackling underfeet and old trees battening down the hatches for the approaching winter. I added some fresh, organic cinnamon chips, and bits of organic vanilla beans, because what is fall without a little spice? Then I finished everything off with natural honey, vanilla and cinnamon flavors, in that order. The result is autumn in a cup, as I see it. I look forward to hearing what you think.
Our new Tea of the Week for the week of April 18th, 2011
At 52teas.com, you will find unique, hand-blended artisan loose leaf teas: a new limited edition creation every week of the year. We pride ourselves on offering truly unique, one-of-a-kind tea blends that you won’t find anywhere else.
Well, I held off on trying this one… not just for the three week time frame that I typically wait, but because I am not always as enthusiastic about rooibos as I am tea. But, since autumn is on its way, I figured it was about time that I open the pouch and give it a try.
It smells amazing.
It tastes pretty good too. Rooibos isn’t my favorite base (as I’ve said many times), but, together with the cinnamon, vanilla and honey flavors, it really is delicious. I taste the woody-nutty flavor of the rooibos, but not that funky-weird artificial-sweetener aftertaste that I sometimes taste when I drink rooibos. Instead, the finish is sweet, with a honey-esque tone that seems to rest upon the palate in the aftertaste … with just a hint of warm cinnamon.
This is quite tasty.
I think that Frank of 52teas has a gift with rooibos, just as he does with honeybush. I think rooibos might be more difficult in that it is less naturally sweet, and so needs more careful pairing.
This blend is outstanding. In fact, it is soooooo good that I made myself a second pot, just as soon as I finished the first (which didn’t take long either). But hey, it has no caffeine, so I indulged myself
I love rooibos. It is a very comforting tea for me. Sadly many blends completely overwhelm the rooibos taste, so that they end up tasting more herbal than rooibos. It’s hard for me to find good rooibos blends, and so lately I have been having more whites and blacks.
That is why this tea is amazing. The cinnamon and vanilla are subtle, but clearly tasted. The rooibos is not overly prominent, but it too is still there. A good balance, where each flavor is there, but not overwhelmed by the other flavors.
Contrary to it’s name, this tea brings up images of sunny days, warm winds and a blue ocean – and the tiny cinnamon pastries sold at the bakery by sea.
The last rooibos blend I had by 52 teas (Sheri’s blend), was gone within a week, because I was having pot after pot, day after day. Now I seriously think I will need to be ordering more of that, and more of this tea too, before it runs out. I have fallen in love with rooibos again. Happy day!
EDIT: Oooh, I finally stopped gulping it down so quickly and let a cup cool a bit, and there’s the honey too!
This was oddly sweet, and not as woodsy as I’d expect a rooibos to be. Maybe I didn’t steep it long enough (I’m a chronic shaver of steeping times because I just hate the bitterness that comes from oversteeped tea). The smell of the spices was nice, but didn’t particularly remind me of autumn.
Thanks to LiberTea for passing on a sample!
With a rooibos tisane, though, you don’t need to worry about bitterness because it lacks the tannins of a regular tea (tannins is what makes a tea bitter when oversteeped). So as long as there are no tea leaves in the blend, you can steep it longer. :)
Good to know, thank you!
I was….less than impressed with this tea, which made me sad as I was really looking forward to it. Frankly, it tasted like a good rooibos base with a bunch of artificial flavoring, which is sad, because I know Frank uses natural flavoring. Still, it just…I was less than impressed.
