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October 29, 2004
Red Mellow Bush Rooibos Herbal Teasan
Name: Red Mellow Bush Rooibos Herbal Teasan
Kathy's Rating: 6.0/10.0
Company: Numi Tea
Origin of tea: Cederberg Mountains, South Africa
Price: ~$5/20 bags (1.68oz)
Tea form: Ground rooibos shoots in tea bags
What they say: Grown in the high desert regions of the Cederberg Mountains, the shoots of Rooibos have been hand gathered by South Africans for generations. It is prepared like a traditional tea, undergoing meticulous drying (oxidation) and cutting. Organic Red Mellow Bush has an earthy vanilla taste and pleasing orange color with hints of autumn straw. With an anti-oxidant level comparable to green tea, Rooibos has no caffeine, is rich in minerals, very low in tannin, and is relaxing to the nerves. No wonder they call it the "miracle tea". Discover the wonders of Rooibos!
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over tea bag. Steep for 4-6 minutes.
Review: This is an organically grown and caffeine free tea. When steeped, this tea turns the water a pretty red-orange shade. I was pleasantly surprised that this tea is strong in taste, yet has no bitterness - not even a trace - to it. Is it possible to be strong in taste and yet mellow at the same time? It is now. As the package indicated, there is indeed a hint of vanilla to this tea. I would say there's even a hint of sweetness. I highly recommend this tea, especially for those who are caffeine-averse. I rated this teasan a 6.0/10.0 for a couple of reasons. One, rooibos is not tea in the sense that it is not derived from the plant Camellia sinensis. This makes it difficult for me to evaluate rooibos properly against most of my other reviews, which are tea leaves plucked from the Camellia sinensis plant. Two, rooibos cannot be compared solely with herbal teas only because it is different from those as well. How do I compare apples and oranges - I cannot. But, I still feel like it would be beneficial to assign a rating. So, the 6.0/10.0 rating is a semi-awkward attempt to put together all of my total tea tasting experience into deriving a number for rooibos. Overall, an interesting (and good for you) herbal drink, but not what I would consider a serious tea experience.
Posted by Kathy at October 29, 2004 09:09 PM