Received this tea as a large sample from Adagio, so I thought I’d try a cup. Rooibos can be really hit-or-miss for me. I have to be in the right mood for it, especially with a non-spicy flavor like this one. Looks like tonight wasn’t a rooibos night… To me, red rooibos tastes kind of like a mixture of sweet cough syrup and wood/straw. That’s mostly what I smell and taste here. The vanilla is really subtle, even with sugar added. (The sugar did improve the flavor, though!) I had about half a cup of this, and it wasn’t undrinkable by any means, but I didn’t feel compelled to finish it.
I like blending Adagio’s teas, so I’ll experiment with the rest of this sample, see if I like it better with other flavors. But it’s not something I would buy to drink on its own. (That said, Adagio’s Vanilla Rooibos Chai is super tasty! I would recommend that rooibos over this one, especially to people like me who aren’t in love with rooibos.)
