Having had this tea a couple of times this tea tastes and smells to me of hazelnut caramels with some coffee notes.
The caramel flavour is dominant and it tastes like the kraft caramel squares from halloween, with nutty hazelnut underneath. The hazelnut is pretty authentic those with allergies should stay away as it leaves me with an itchy throat. It brews to a dark red amber. The base tea is sweet and fruity with some spicy slightly leathery notes and subtle bitter coffee like notes underneath and and is smooth if brewed around 90-95. It becomes bitter if steeped at boiling.
The packaging is cute, a tall metal canister with a music box built in. The tune is unfamiliar to me but is pleasant and cheerful!
The first time I had it, it did give me that itchy throat feeling that some people say Rooibos gives them. I attributed it to the hazelnuts, I’ m actually minorly allergic to them, though I thought I had kicked that allergy aso can eat Nutella and eat Back chocolate without having a reaction. Something to think about…
I don’t have any allergies, and I don’t mind if there is some rooibos in here, but it’s not on the ingredient list, and I can’t see any in the leaves – but wow, this tastes like rooibos to me. I wasn’t doubting your meticulous and awesome labeling, I was questioning my tastes. :))
I meant something to think about for me..I can totally get where you could get something that hints at Rooibos. The nut in this tea isn’t a sweet hazelnut, it’s kind of toasty and has as hint of woodiness to it. I just hadn’t thought of it in that way! I think that it is a clever referencing of it.
Mmm – sounds lovely.