I’ve never had honeybush (Cyclopia sp.) before, in any form. Despite being in the same botanical family, it differs from rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) which may account for another reviewer’s report here of not tasting rooibos.
Anyhow, my sample packet contained 2.9 g of material, which I steeped in its entirety, as directed in 8 oz. alpine spring water. The aroma of the dry material was very fragrantly fruity, almost perfumy. I could detect notes of apple bits, strawberry, and rose. The hot steeping vapors were perfumy as well, without the powdery sensation which was probably from the forest berry flavoring, but adding another element to the mix which I suspect to have been the honeybush. The taste was of mixed berries, strawberry, apple, and quite sweet (without added sweetener). I couldn’t really taste rose petals or raspberry leaves. There was no bitterness or sourness, or other obvious defects, though I wish the “natural flavoring” had been used with more restraint, as there was a pervading ‘artificial’ note in the concoction.
Overall I enjoyed the blend, and did not object to the honeybush as I do to rooibos. It’s nice to have a caffeine-free option for dessert or bedtime, without the cinnamon present as in other blends. I’ll give this a rating of 70, and it might have been higher if not for the artificial quality of the flavor.
Flavors: Apple, Artificial, Berries, Rose, Strawberry, Sweet
I dislike red rooibos but I like green rooibos very much for flavored blends. Have you tried any of those? Simpson and Vail has some good ones.
@ashmanra, I have a tin of Harney & Sons “African Autumn” sachets which is mostly red rooibos blended with orange peel and a little hibiscus and cranberry and smells of green cocktail olives. But you knew that since you reviewed it and scored it as an 83! It’s nauseating to me, and in my first review I noted that I would rather drink mouthwash. In a subsequent review last year I was a bit kinder and raised my rating considerably, to 15.
http://steepster.com/TeaEarleGreyHot/posts/454033
Can’t say that I’ve tried green rooibos. Perhaps I’ll add one to a S&V order some day! Thanks for the tip!
Now that you have me thinking about it, perhaps I need to give straight rooibos a shot since I ’ve only ever had blends… Adagio does offer a rooibos/honeybush sampler.
My review was fifteen years ago when I still added sugar to hot tea, and it is questionable whether the slider was working back then! Ha ha! Red rooibos tastes like Robitusson to me. I did somewhat enjoy Fortnum & Mason’s plain red rooibos. Harney’s plain one was given away because I knew I would never willingly drink it down.
I think 52teas has also done some good green rooibos blends, and Lupicia has some very nice ones, too.
Thanks for the suggestions on rooibos blends! Meanwhile, I have just posted a note on an Adagio green rooibos blend which I enjoyed… so at least I can say it is not a “poison pill” for me!!