Apple Cardamom Rooibos

This has been neglected on my shelf at work for a long time, so I pulled the bag out on friday and gave it another try. I like this one with soy milk — it adds a nice creaminess, and tones down the cardamom enough so that I can actually taste the apple. Without any additions, I find it much too overpowering. Milk and sugar are the way to go here. I do like a nice apple tea, so this is one I’ll have to try not to forget about so much in future.

Backlog:

I’m not usually all that excited when 52Teas announces a rooibos blend … although many of them that Frank has created I’ve really enjoyed. I guess there’s just some sort of automatic response to rooibos.

That said, this was a really tasty blend. The apple and cardamom make great flavoring for the nutty taste of the rooibos. A really good autumnal blend.

SO! This one came in the mail today, along with two others, and even though it’s a red rooibos, I just had to tear it open and have a go at it. I’m currently on a very brief but very strict diet that does not allow caffeine, so I’ll have to set the other teas aside until it’s over, but I can have this one! The diet’s working splendidly, so I’d hate to cheat, much as it pains me every time I pass my tea shelf. I need to take some time to separate out the teas I can have, so I won’t have to peruse the whole lot every time I want a cuppa.

Anyhow, the initial brew smells very much of rooibos, with a great deal of enticing apple scent, which is good! There’s maybe a hint of cardamom, but not a whole lot. Surprising, since there were two pods in my steeper. Oh well.

I didn’t sweeten this one, because after the first few sips, I didn’t feel it really needed it. The apple is coming through just fine. I don’t find the red rooibos flavor as offensive as I normally do. I took the advice of a fellow Steepster and added some almond milk, but it doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference. Maybe it would have if I had sweetened it? Dunno. I will have to play around with this one. However, my first impression is very complimentary!

Happy 12th December everyone!

I certainly smell the apple with light spice, very Christmas-y! Flavour is light and sweet with soft apple and spice (cinnamon or clove like). I can’t taste cardamom specifically though that is a positive thing (for me anyway). Mild dry after taste though the spicy apple remains.

I like this, it tastes like Christmas with minimum Rooibos blurghness and all in a nice caffeine free package.

I wanted so much to like this one, but I just don’t. If I’m being completely honest, it’s because I don’t care for rooibos unless the taste of rooibos is almost 100% masked. Otherwise it just tastes like sticks at the end of the my cuppa which is extremely unpleasant. The best part about this tea, in my opinion, was the strong apple flavour. That I could get behind – it was delicious. However, the cardamom and the rooibos… I don’t know how to explain, but it just didn’t work for me. Next time, gadget!