I found this hiding in the back of the pantry and thought I’d give it a shot.
The fragrance of this blend is vanilla, chicory and (I don’t know where these come from sometimes, possibly the almonds here?) slightly stale Lorna Doone shortbreads. While not an ugly mix, there’s not a lot to please the eye other than the occasional yellow or blue speck of florals.
Upon brewing, it produces a fairly dense reddish-brown liquid. The fragrance of both the vanilla and shortbread remains. From a taste standpoint, the flavor is of vanilla with a subtle note of brandy and carries a pastry aftertaste. As it approaches room temperature, it begins to pick up a very slight sourness.
I was surprised that, for the number of cocoa components it contains, I didn’t pick up any chocolate in either flavor or fragrance.
I’m not a huge Rooibos or Honeybush fan, so this may be why this moved to the back of the shelf. It’s OK, but not a favorite.
