Rooibos

I’ve been drinking this for a few days now (not in a row) and I still can’t describe it. I thought I’ve had rooibos before, but in a bagged version. Although now that I taste this, I can’t actually say with any certainty that I’ve had rooibos before, and if I didn’t, what did I drink?

So anyway, I open up the bag and it looks and smells like tobacco from a cigar shop. Dry though, and the tea is a fine small size, the size that creates static cling and sticks to everything, like glitter does. After steeping, a very beautiful red-brown color, kind of like cheap garnets. I don’t like my garnets this color, but in my tea cup is acceptable!

The smell is weird to me, it is sweet, but not sugary sweet, and then there is a strong note that reminds me of…alcohol? The kind of smell that makes me react like I do when I smell wine. Maybe because I am allergic to alcohol, then I also sensitive to that smell and therefore react the way I do. My stomach gets tight and red sirens go off in my head.

(Yes this happens with all alcohol for me, even in food. I have had allergic reactions to Chicken Marsala and believe it or not, kombucha. But I still drink as much as the allergy will allow and I just drink in a bar where for some reason, I can’t smell any alcohol. Unless it’s wine, then I’m usually at a friend’s house, but I can’t smell it when I drink it. I will hold my breath and sip. Why hasn’t all this yet stopped me from drinking at all? Because I LOVE mojitos and red wine.)

So the taste is sweet, mild, I like it. I want to experience more rooiboses and I’m glad there is no caffeine, I’ve been enjoying these at night during the wind down to bedtime. Who knows, my rating may climb as I become more familiar with the roob.