I don’t like rooibos at all. That being said, I do love s’mores, and I couldn’t resist getting a sample of this. I mean, it’s not like I would be stuck with a bunch if I hated it! Sadly it’s discontinued, but replaced with a very similar blend I see which is good because I LOVE this tea!
I steeped it for 20 minutes, which seems like a very long time but it’s the suggested amount. I think it really paid off—I sniffed it a few times during the brewing, and while it smelled pretty rooibos-y after 10 minutes that weird medicinal odor was gone after 20! I think I might actually go back and experiment with some of my rooibos blends with longer steeps, maybe it masks the flavor better or brings out different aspects?
In any case, this tastes nothing like what I expect from rooibos, except maybe it adds a little woodsy-ness. What it DOES taste like is crusty, buttery, delicious graham cracker and soft marshmallow. It’s pretty darn amazing! As others have said the chocolate is almost non-existent, but I don’t really mind much. In fact, I think I’ll mix the rest of my sample with Della Terra’s S’mores (which I find strong on the chocolate but lacking in graham cracker flavor). This tea is so rich and luscious, but not too heavy. I know I said it doesn’t taste chocolate-y but it does remind me of red velvet cake for some reason, so I guess there’s a little chocolate! There’s also a bit of a tanginess, which I suppose is why I am getting the red velvet association.
