Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
This Green Rooibos blend infused with honey essence makes a particularly fragrant iced tea and works very well as a concentrate. Mix in some organic honey when boiling the tea for even more honey flavor.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s late. Actually, technically, it’s “early” … as in 4:30 in the morning early. I am not able to relax and get to sleep, so I headed for the kitchen and grabbed a tisane … hoping it would calm me and help me sleep. This is the tisane that I grabbed … let’s hope it does the trick!
I’ve probably said this more than once about a rooibos blend … but I’m going to say it again: This is one of the nicest rooibos blends I’ve had. And it’s also one of the more unique rooibos blends I’ve come across.
First of all, we have the green rooibos base, which is not a typical rooibos base. The un-oxidized leaves of the rooibos plant give a lightness and a pleasantly sweet, fruity taste to the cup.
Then, there is the hops. I don’t find hops in many blends … and I’m really surprised that more tea blenders don’t utilize this herb. I suspect it is because of the bitterness that’s often associated with the hops flower. However, I love hops for it’s unique flavor. I do taste a bit of the bitterness but because of the natural sweetness of the rooibos, the bitterness is offset just enough to keep it from tasting off-putting. Instead, what I notice is not the bitterness of the hops, but malty flavor and a rich taste and texture that is rather unusual for a rooibos blend. Rooibos blends tend to be a bit thin … but not this blend!
But what I taste more than anything with this cup is the delicious honey notes. This tastes like a thinned honey, and with the malty notes from the hops, it gives it an almost honey-ale kind of taste. Very different, and very enjoyable.
I really like this, and I also like the fact that the hops is having a soothing, relaxing effect on me. I might just be able to get to sleep tonight, after all!
