Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Nina’s Tea Store (to be open soon!)
Tisane Description:
Rooibos means ‘red bush’ in Afrikaans. Rooibos infusion from South Africa provides a deliciously light drink. It is caffeine-free and contains numerous health-promoting ingredients. It can be enjoyed throughout the day and is a perfect beverage in the evening. Rooibos can be served with milk and sugar, depending on your preferences. Served as iced tea, it is absolutely delicious!
Gemini Rooibos: Strawberry, vanilla and grapefruit
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I was interested in this Gemini Rooibos Blend from Nina’s Paris because of the fact that it was the astrological tea for my sign. And while I’m not sure what strawberries, vanilla and grapefruit have to do with the “twins” … I’m liking this tisane anyway.
While it’s hot, I could really taste the creamy vanilla notes. This flavor softened as the tisane cooled, but I noticed more of the strawberry and grapefruit with the cold tisane, and I think I actually prefer this iced.
The flavor of the rooibos comes through, but it isn’t a really powerful flavor. I taste gentle notes of nutty, woody flavors with a honeyed sweetness from the rooibos, and the nutty flavors meld well with the creamy, sweet vanilla notes. The strawberry and grapefruit actually work quite well together, although I must admit that I would not have thought to ever combine these two fruits together. But, like I said, they work – and they taste really quite good together.
The strawberry is sweet and it is the primary fruit note throughout the sip, with the tart notes of grapefruit arriving at the finish. The citrus lasts long into the aftertaste, but it’s not an extraordinarily tart flavor, as its tartness has been softened by the other flavors. Instead, it’s more like a bright, sunny citrus note that perks up the taste buds as the sip nears the finish.
A really enjoyable cuppa – this Gemini is happy with it!
Rooibos Kalahari Tisane from Tea Affair
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Tisane Description:
Brace yourself. This tea has got a serious citrus kick that gets you in a good way. Lemon and lime together is an experience your taste buds will enjoy. The aroma of the tea is subtly sweet, woodsy with a nice lemon cream. The first sip is soft lemongrass with a lingering lime twist and hints of the natural sweetness of the rooibos.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
There are a few things that I do as I prepare to write a review. Probably the most obvious thing is that I brew myself a cup of tea – or tisane, as is the case with this Rooibos Kalahari Tisane from Tea Affair. I examine the dry leaf, smell it, and brew it .. sometimes according to package instructions, and sometimes according to what I think would work best for me.
For example, when given an Assam tea, typically I see 5 minutes as the ideal steep time. However, over the course of the many years that I’ve been drinking tea (more than I want to admit to!) I’ve learned that 5 minutes for most Assam teas is just too long and produces a bitter cup of tea. So, with most of the teas that I brew, I go with my best judgment and seldom does it let me down.
I also go to the website and check out the information that the tea purveyor provides on the tea I’m going to write about. Information like ingredients and where you, the reader, can buy the tea if they’re intrigued by it. However, when I went to the Tea Affair website to find information on this tisane, I came up empty handed. This tisane doesn’t appear to be available on the website. So, I shot out an email to Amoda Tea to ask them about it. They got back to me quickly.
Amoda Tea is GREAT when it comes to customer service, which is one of the main reasons why I’m still subscribing to this service. Well, that, and the fact that I get the opportunity to try new-to-me teas, and some are from new-to-me companies. I love that.
According to Amoda Tea, Tea Affair is a wholesale tea company … so this isn’t a tea that you – my readers – can buy. So, if you’re interested in this tea, please contact Amoda Tea about it!
In the meantime, let me tell you a little bit about this tisane!
Tasty! The citrus notes here are strong – much stronger than I would typically experience with just lemongrass, which suggests to me that the “natural flavors” here include lemon and lime flavors. There is a creamy element to this cup as well which could be from the lemongrass, as I often experience a somewhat buttery note from lemongrass.
I am enjoying the way the earthy notes of the rooibos (a little bit woody with a slightly sweet, nutty tone) contrast with the bright citrusy flavors. It’s a very refreshing beverage and tastes good iced, but is also quite the soothing cuppa when served hot.
Overall, an enjoyable rooibos blend. Not my favorite caffeine free selection that I’ve gotten from Amoda Tea, but, I liked it alright, and it was interesting to learn a little bit more about Tea Affair – a company that I hadn’t heard of before this experience began.
Root Beer Rooibos from Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Honeybush
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
This tea was made by using some ingredients that were used in old fashioned home made root beer. We added honeybush to the rooibos to give it a natural sweetness. This way you can have an all natural, chemical free alternative to soda. If you do want the extra sweetness found in root beer, just add some sugar or natural sweetner and you will still have a natural treat. Caffeine free. Ingredients: Fair Trade CertifiedTMorganic rooibos, and honeybush, Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Whole Cloves, and Organic Cinnamon, Organic Ginger, Organic Star Anise, Orange Peel, and Organic Natural Flavoring.
Learn more about this flavored rooibos here.
Taster’s Review:
This Root Beer Rooibos from Trail Lodge Tea is quite tasty! It’s actually a whole lot better than I anticipated it to be. I like that they chose to use a base of organic rooibos and honeybush, I think that the slightly woody/nutty flavors of these two herbs seem to heighten the overall root beer taste, and the natural honey-esque sweetness makes this a very pleasant beverage.
A quick review of the ingredient list, and one might think that they’re about to drink a chai blend, but, this doesn’t taste like the typical chai, despite the ingredients. It definitely tastes more like root beer than it does a masala chai. The spices used here really do create a very “root beer-ish” kind of taste, and they are skillfully blended to keep the drink from tasting “spicy” – rather, it tastes like … well, like I said, it tastes like root beer! All that’s missing is the bubbly carbonation.
I do think that this root beer taste could be elevated even more if just a touch of spearmint was added to the blend. Not enough to make it minty … just enough to give it that zesty note of root beer. As it is though, it’s really quite tasty. It’s good served hot (even though it does seem a little weird to be drinking a hot cup of root beer) but it’s even tastier iced. If you decide to go ahead and ice this, I recommend adding some sugar (go with turbinado sugar!) to bring out the flavors in the chilled tisane.
If you’re a fan of root beer (and really, who DOESN’T like root beer?), you really should try this. I’m wondering how this would taste if I added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a float … I’ll bet it’s amazing!
Savanna Vanilla African Rooibos from Domo
Tea Type: Rooibos
Where To Buy: Domo
Product Description:
Tasters Review:
Savanna Vanilla African Rooibos Tea
For hundreds of years the Khoisan people of South Africa have enjoyed rooibos tea, not just for its sweet, delicate taste but for its medicinal value. Now Domo has captured the spirit of the wild with a subtle blend of red rooibos and natural vanilla. Domo Flavour-Infused Rooibos is a whole new way to enjoy tea, and thanks to a high antioxidant count and no caffeine, it’s also one of the healthiest teas you can buy. Try Domo Vanilla-Enhanced Rooibos and rediscover the spirit of Africa.
Contents: Vanilla-Enhanced African Rooibos Tea, 1lb resealable pack
Dimensions:
$20.99 CDN
I must say I am blown away with the new offerings over at Domo! Here is another new product of theirs…
Savanna Vanilla African Rooibos!
So far from the new products Domo is offering I am VERY impressed with the Aroma! The aroma prior to whisking was Vanilla Hot Chocolate-type smell…VERY tempting! After whisking a stereotypical yet highly scented Vanilla Rooibos.
The Color is that of a cloudy dark reddish brown. There are very small pebbles of powder floating on top which later I found to be sugary delights! The Taste is…WOW! Not only is it rooibos sweet but it’s SUGAR Sweet! And a lovely Vanilla! This is very VERY sweet and sugary and treat-like!
If you like sweet and you like sugar or if you try anything vanilla flavored – you will probably like this! If you are looking for something to satisfy your sweet-tooth…try this! Or if you are like me and just like trying new things! This is NEW…try it!
Rooibos Garden Tea from Urban Tea
Tea Type: Rooibos
Where To Buy: Urban Tea
Product Description:
Handcrafted, naturally caffeine-free, organically grown Rooibos Garden blends South African Rooibos with sweet coconut and sun-kissed lavender. Nutrient rich, Rooibos is commonly consumed as a cure all for stomach aches, digestion aid, sleep and relaxation aid, promoting healthy skin and providing relief from allergies.
Ingredients
- Organic Rooibos, organic coconut, organic lavender, organic natural flavoring.
- Origin: South Africa, USA
Tasters Review:
This is my first encounter with Urban Tea and I am very excited about it!
Rooibos Garden has a powerful aroma and taste. The aroma is mostly Coconut and Lavender. And the taste is first and foremost Coconut and then the Lavender jumps in fairly fast after that first pop of coconut.
The rooibos flavor isn’t as intense as most rooibos can be but it still contributes to the natural sweetness to the taste…without it I think the floral notes could be bitter and the coconut more intense. With all of these ingredients together it seems to all meet in the middle quite nicely!
I will say that I prefer this one is better HOT than COLD.
If you are looking for an aromatic tea – give this one a whirl. The Lavender is VERY relaxing…perfect for the end of a day!