African Autumn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning, I enjoyed a delicious cup of Winter White Earl Grey, but this afternoon, I couldn’t wait to sip on a cup of African Autumn. Even in the spring, with the sun shining through my office window and the knowledge that the temperature hovered around the mid 70’s, nothing seemed more refreshing than a hot cup of tea.

Composition: Considered an herbal tea African Autumn contains Redbush, Cranberry and Oranges.

Dry Visual: Very fine leaves, resembling shavings, in a beautiful burnt orange and red colors with hints of brown. The cream flecks contained in the tea provide texture. This is another loose tea housed in a triangular silk sachet.

Dry Aroma: Robust orange aroma with hints of cranberry.

Flavor: The flavor of this tea is difficult for me to describe. It is not full-bodied, yet the African Autumn contains a distinct blend of flavors. The orange dominates this tea while the cranberry provides a pleasant twanginess. Considering this my first and only redbush tea, I am unable to describe the taste of the redbush, however, I will adventure to say that the sweet undertones may be attributed to the redbush. I tasted African Autumn both with and without sweetener, however, I prefer to add a little sugar or honey. The sweetener rounds out the cranberry and orange flavors enhancing this teas natural sweetness.

Liquor: A beautiful amber hue with rich orange tones.

Brewing Time: 5 minutes recommended. I brewed for 5 minutes.

Manufacturer: Harney and Sons

Caffeine: No

What is Redbush?

After conducting a brief Internet search, I discovered that redbush is the English version for the Afrikaans word Rooibos, pronounced like “roy-boss”. Rooibos, whose scientific name is Aspalathus linearis is a broom-like member of the legume family of plants. This family also includes, the bean and pea family. It is used to make tisanes (herbal tea). While categorized as tea, Rooibos does not come from the tea plant.

The next time you are looking for a decaffeinated tea, try African Autumn. Its unique flavor makes for a nice afternoon or evening tea.

Reference: Rooibos. (2008, May 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:41, May 3, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rooibos&oldid=209382412