Tea/Tisane Tasting: Lemon Myrtle Rooibos

[Richard Kilgore]

Kyle Stewart at The Cultured Cup is providing their new "Lemon Myrtle Rooibos" for this Tea (Tisane to be more accurate) Tasting & Discussion. Kyle is providing 10 gram samples to me and three other members of the eGullet Society.

The three free samples are reserved for members who have never received free samples for any previous Tea Tasting & Discussion and who also agree to the following.

The three free samples are available to members who 1) will do at least two brewing sessions from the sample, 2) will report on their experience and participate in the discussion within 7 days of receiving the sample, and 3) who have previously posted at least ten (10) substantive posts (questions, answers, comments that add to discussions) in the Coffee and Tea forum. The 10 g sample is enough to brew four first infusion cups in a small teapot or infuser cup (about 2.5 g to 6 ounces of water). More brewing suggestions to come.

As always, everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate in the discussion, whether or not you receive a sample.

As I have mentioned in other topics, I have known Kyle Stewart, co-owner of The Cultured Cup, for some time now, having bought tea from his shop for many years, at least 10 years I believe it is. And for the past four years or so Kyle has been instrumental to my tea education through the T-Bar Club at The Cultured Cup. Kyle attended the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas last summer and completed his three years of training with the Speciality Tea Institute to become the first Certified Tea Specialist in Texas. I have had many pleasant times with Kyle and his staff - Adam, Kelly and Sam, trading teas and sharing new tea discoveries. More than just a tea merchant I happen to buy tea from, Kyle is a culinary friend as well as a tea friend - the wonderful tea pairings at Sharon Hage's York Street restaurant and a shared interest in Asian food.

Please PM me now if you would like to receive one of the the free samples and participate in this Tea/Tisane Tasting and Discussion.

[Richard Kilgore]

PM if interested.

[Richard Kilgore]

The free samples for this Tea/Tisane Tasting & Discussion are available only to members who have never received a sample for a previous TT&D. Please PM me if you are interested.

[Richard Kilgore]

Here's an interesting Wiki entry on Rooibos, the South African plant used in the herbal infusion featured in this Tea/Tisane Tasting & Discussion. It covers the production, uses, nutritional and health benefits, grading and the history of Rooibos.

From the section on the history of Rooibos:

In 1904, Benjamin Ginsberg, a Russian/Jewish settler to the Cape, riding in the remote mountains, became fascinated with this wild tea. He ran a wide variety of experiments at Rondegat Farm, finally perfecting the curing of rooibos. He simulated the traditional Chinese method of making very fine Keemun, by fermenting the tea in barrels, covered in wet, hessian sacking that replicates the effects of bamboo baskets.[13]

Send me a PM now if you are interested in a free sample.

[Richard Kilgore]

Free samples still available. PM now if you are interested.

[Richard Kilgore]

Rooibos is also called "red bush" and "red tea" (not to be confused with Chinese red tea).

[Richard Kilgore]

Still available.

[Richard Kilgore]

Three free samples available. PM if interested.

[Richard Kilgore]

The free samples of Lemon Myrtle Rooibos from The Cultured Cup are still available.

I'll keep the samples available until February 28th. If there is no interest among members in Rooibos at this time, I'll scratch it off my list. However, if you all are interested in Rooibos, but simply not this one, please PM me and let me know. Whether or not you have participated in a previous Tea Tasting & Discussion.

[Richard Kilgore]

The free samples of Lemon Myrtle Rooibos from The Cultured Cup are still available and reserved for members who have never received a free sample before in one of the Tea Tasting & Discussions. Until February 28th. After that they will be available also to those who have participated previously.

Send me a PM if you are interested in a free sample of this Rooibos.

[Richard Kilgore]

The free samples of this Lemon Myrtle Rooibos from The Cultured Cup are now available to all members of the eGullet Society whether or not you have received a sample in the past or are receiving one currently. There are up to three samples available to members. Please PM me now, after reviewing the first post, if you are interested in receiving one of these samples.

[Richard Kilgore]

Now only two free samples left!

PM me if you are interested.

[Richard Kilgore]

The free samples of this Lemon Myrtle Rooibos from The Cultured Cup are now available to all members of the eGullet Society whether or not you have received a sample in the past or are receiving one currently. There are up to three samples available to members. Please PM me now, after reviewing the first post, if you are interested in receiving one of these samples.

Two samples left!

[Richard Kilgore]

Still have two free samples available. PM me.

[Richard Kilgore]

Looks like we may have few rooibos drinkers...or curiosity seekers...here, so I plan on shipping the sample or samples to whomever is on the list sometime next week.

If you are interested, please review the first post above and then PM me.

[Richard Kilgore]

Two free samples left. PM me if you are interested.

[Richard Kilgore]

The two remaining free samples will be available until midnight Thursday, EST.

[Richard Kilgore]

Tic-tock. Last chance.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Got my sample of this tea last night, brewed it, loved it, and went to order some on the web site, and didn't see it listed. Is it a new tea that hasn't yet arrived, or one that has already sold out?

Will post more proper tasting notes with my next brewing, but can already say that I LOVE this combination of the lemon myrtle and the rooibos, they really complement one another brilliantly.

[Richard Kilgore]

Unfortunately, they have very few of their 125 - 150 teas and tisanes on their website. You can get their toll free 1-888 phone number off the Cultured Cup website and order that way. Ask them to send you a paper list of their teas.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Whew!

I really, really, love this tea.

[Richard Kilgore]

Yes, when Adam at The Cultured Cup first suggested it, I had no idea what to expect - other than the dried tisane really looked interesting, but it's become a favorite of mine. Too bad more members did not sign up for this one.

[Kerry Beal]

Funny - when you were posting about this tea trying to get people to pick it up - I kept thinking it looked like something I'd enjoy. Guess I'll have to keep an eye out for it around here!

[Wholemeal Crank]

Used about a teaspoon of the leaf mix, and my 6 oz glass teapot, water at the boil; steeped 5 minutes; strained into a cup, sipped some, steeped a 2nd time, same conditions, added 2nd steep to cup, and kept sipping.

This is a brisk, wake-your-tastebuds, bright-tasting tisane. The lemon myrtle apparently is a remarkably strong source of citral, and it's like a bunch of fresh lemon zest added to the deeper notes of the rooibos. The things that put me off rooibos at times--words lacking here to describe that flavor element that sometimes feels right and sometimes bugs me, not earthy, or tart, or sharp, but strongly herbaceous, perhaps a bit piney--is perfectly balanced by the strong lemon. And the lemon, in turn, gets a flavor balance and base from the rooibos.

And, like many herbal tisanes, it is very forgiving and doesn't get bitter or sharp or off if left to steep longer--the little bit that was too much for my cup after the 2nd infusion steeped another 10 minutes in cooling water and was still pleasant.

So....for moments when I want a little pick-me-up, but don't need more caffeine, this is brilliant.

[Richard Kilgore]

That's a fine description of this rooibis blend. I agree that citrus plays well with the rooibois. They have an orange rooibois at The Cultured Cup that I also like -- much like a blood orange. The dry leaf of this Lemon Myrtle is visually stunning, too. I brew it in a strainer in a cup, making about 8 ounces at a time. It does fine at 4 minutes and five minutes on the first infusion. Sometimes I stop there and sometimes do a second infusion. I'll have to drop into the shop next week and buy a little more.