Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea People
Tisane Description:
Dubbed ‘Rooibos’ meaning ‘red bush’ by the speakers of the Dutch Afrikaans language, this “tea” is only produced in South Africa. This one is from Cederberg mountains in South Africa, the home of rooibos where it is grown at an altitude of 1500 – 2500 ft.
Don’t be fooled by the name, the plant itself is green but the leaves turn red after processing. This flavourful relaxing tea has a creamy vanilla scent and is caffeine free, perfect as a nightcap, or any time of the day!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! This Vanilla Rooibos Herbal Tisane from Tea People has a really yummy vanilla flavor, and it has a wonderful creamy texture too – something that’s a little unusual when it comes to rooibos blends!
I tend to find most rooibos blends to be a little “thin” in texture, but I’m not experiencing that with this blend. It has a nice creaminess to it that complements the creamy, sweet vanilla flavor.
The naturally sweet, nutty flavor of the rooibos melds nicely with the vanilla notes, and there is a hint of almond to this cup as well. The flavors marry very well together to create a decadent sweet treat that would make a tasty dessert substitution (with far fewer calories and no fat!) This is the kind of tisane I like to curl up to late at night – it’s cozy, it’s comforting and it’s very yummy!
Currently, the fine people at Tea People are hosting a campaign on indiegogo to help the tea garden workers of Darjeeling and their families. I hope you’ll consider donating to this very worthy cause!
Organic Unwind Tulsi Tisane from Spicely Organics
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi
Where to Buy: Spicely Organics
Tisane Description:
Relax and restore with this tulsi based blend. Cinnamon and rose blend perfectly with tulsi to ease away any tension and relax after a long day. INGREDIENTS: Organic Tulsi, Organic Cinnamon Sticks, Organic Rose Petals.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about the Spicely Organics Monthly Tea Membership here.
Taster’s Review:
This Organic Unwind Tulsi Tisane from Spicely Organics has a fairly simple ingredient list – tulsi, cinnamon and rose – but sometimes simplicity works. It certainly did in the case of this blend; it’s really quite tasty.
Since there is no camellia sinensis or other ingredients that were likely to become bitter if oversteeped, I went ahead and steeped this for 10 minutes in 195°F water. The result is a flavorful cup that has strong cinnamon overtones but it’s a natural cinnamon flavor: not that overly sweet-hot red-hot-candies sort of cinnamon-y flavor. This tastes like the cinnamon you’d sprinkle on your toast or over your bowl of oatmeal in the morning. It’s warm and zingy yet sweet.
The tulsi gives the cup a somewhat herbaceous note – I taste notes of basil. Basil and cinnamon are not two flavors that I would normally think to combine but they work nicely together to create a sweet yet savory note with hints of warm, zesty spice.
The rose offers a nice floral undertone. I like the way the rose and cinnamon work together – this is a flavor combination that I’ve been fond of for a long time and I’m happy to see another company embrace the combination.
A very calming, relaxing blend – just exactly the type of tisane I’d turn to if I wanted to “Unwind”!
Citron Tisane from Eden Grove
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Amazon Trading
Ingredients:
Naturally Caffeine Free: Hibiscus, Apple, Orange Peel, Lemongrass & flavors of Lemon and Lemongrass.
Learn more about Amazon Trading here.
Taster’s Review:
I am always initially leery of any tisane that boasts hibiscus as the first ingredient in its ingredient list. So, it should come as no surprise to you that when I was offered this Citron Tisane from Eden Grove to try, I was not as excited as I was to try some of the other teas from Eden Grove. (I especially enjoyed their Lovers Leap Estate Indigo Black Tea!)
But, I have been surprised in the past by teas that I was originally skeptical of, and so I decided to give this Citron blend a try. And I’m really glad I did. It might not be my favorite cup of tea from Eden Grove, but, it’s tasty!
Even though the hibiscus is the first ingredient in the list, there is relatively little hibiscus in this. A quick glance through the silky pyramid sachet tells me that the primary ingredient in it is lemongrass. And I like lemongrass. I only saw maybe a couple of hibiscus pieces.
After steeping in 195°F water for five minutes, this tisane brews up a golden color (not pink – another suggestion that there isn’t too much hibiscus in this!) and the texture is smooth – not thick or syrupy. All of the sudden, I feel much better about sampling this tisane!
And it’s pretty good. The flavor (not surprisingly) is citrus-y. I taste a tart note from the hibiscus (but again, this is not an overpowering presence of hibiscus), and that tartness accentuates the tart notes of the lemon and lime. There is a sweetness from these two citrus fruits as well as a sweet hint of orange with just a hint of bitter from the orange pith. I also am tasting a smooth, buttery note from the lemongrass, and a sweet apple note.
Overall, this is a bright and enjoyable tisane to enjoy any time of the day. The sunny flavor of the citrus makes it a good choice for earlier in the day, but it’s also an agreeable tisane for later in the evening when I’m looking for something caffeine free. It would also be nice to brew up and chill for something cool and refreshing.
Organic Soothing Lemon Wellness Herbal Tea from The Cozy Leaf
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Herbal Blend
Where to Buy: The Cozy Leaf on Etsy
Tisane Description:
(Organic Caffeine Free Rooibos Tea) This tea blend has a sparkling-like lemon flavor which gives this blend a fresh and lively character – terrific served hot and sensational served iced! This tea is very soothing when served hot with a little honey, perfect for those winter sore throats! Rooibos is an ultra fine, delicate tea and once brewed it will produce a hearty red color with a warm scent. Rooibos holds a superior, natural sweetness that is unsurpassed with a smooth and aromatic after taste!
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This Organic Soothing Lemon Wellness Herbal Tea from The Cozy Leaf is indeed a soothing blend! As I’ve said before (and will no doubt say again in the future), rooibos isn’t my favorite tisane, but, I find that I do like it better when it’s organic (and yes, there is a difference that’s discernible in the taste!)
I also like how the nutty and earthy tones complement the lemon-y notes here. The lemon isn’t an in-your-face kind of flavor … just as the name implies, it’s soothing. It’s a calm, gentle flavor that is a little bit tart, a little bit sweet and even a wee bit bitter. I find that this tends to be true of blends with the citrus peel in them. Not a bad thing – the contrast keeps the cup interesting.
The lemongrass enhances the citrus tones in a sweeter way, and adds a hint of smooth, buttery taste to the drink. I like that this is a relaxing cup of tea that warms me up when I drink it hot, but is also tasty when served iced. I feel good when I sip it – it’s a very uplifting sort of tisane.
The Cozy Leaf was previously known as Teas and Tapestries, and we have reviewed a couple of their teas here on this blog. They have a very impressive line up of teas, I think I might have to visit them again when my tea budget allows! A really nice company and a really good product.
Vanilla Bean Honeybush from California Tea House
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: California Tea House
Tisane Description:
Honeybush is made from the Cyclopia sessiliflora plant from the mountains of the South African Cape. It is very similar to Rooibos in taste and health aspects, yet it is naturally a little more sweet. We took the highest grade Honeybush and blended in vanilla bean pieces and marigold petals to create our naturally caffeine-free Vanilla Bean Honeybush.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I had my doubts, but this Vanilla Bean Honeybush from California Tea House is really tasty. It is sweet and it is loaded with real vanilla flavor. I love that the vanilla notes here don’t taste artificial. This tastes like true vanilla. It’s sweet and creamy deliciousness!
The vanilla is the strongest flavor that I’m tasting here. And like I just said, it’s deliciously sweet and creamy. But the honeybush can be tasted too, and it adds a hint of honey and a nutty tone to the background.
I love the simplicity of this blend – it’s just vanilla and honeybush (plus a little bit of marigold petals to add some pretty color to the blend.) But it’s also a really smart pairing, because honeybush – as well as it’s South African cousin, Rooibos – tend to produce a somewhat thin textured liquid, but with the creaminess of the vanilla … it doesn’t feel thin. This feels pleasantly soft and smooth to the palate.
To get the most out of this tisane, I recommend steeping it at a just below boiling point (195°F) for 10 minutes. I go with the slightly lower temperature because this helps to avoid the sour wood taste that sometimes accompanies rooibos and honeybush … while still achieving the maximum amount of flavor out of a honeybush (or rooibos) blend.
Vanilla fans … this is your answer for those late at night cravings! This will satisfy those sweet tooth cravings without any caffeine!