Bergamot oil is what turns a plain rooibos into something that tastes unmistakably like Earl Grey, and that's the pairing behind this blend: red bush leaf laced with the same citrus oil that flavours Earl Grey black tea. The result leans herbaceous up front, with citrus, lemon and bergamot brightening the edges, herbs running underneath, and a soft honey note on the finish. Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company packs it by hand and fresh to order, aiming for a consistent cup batch to batch.
Rooibos itself traces back to South Africa's Cederberg region, where the Khoisan people drank it long before colonisation disrupted their way of life and the plant's use faded from memory. It was a Swedish botanist, Carl Thunberg (1743-1823), who rediscovered rooibos, after which it slowly regained popularity. The Earl Grey half of the name comes with its own legend: that Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), was gifted bergamot-scented tea after saving a boy from drowning in China, and the tea was named for him. It's a good story, but not a true one - Grey never travelled to China, so the tale has been debunked over time.
Rooibos carries no caffeine, which suits anyone cutting back on it, morning or night. It also brings a natural spread of vitamins and minerals - iron, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, zinc and magnesium among them - along with antioxidants and alpha hydroxy acid, and rooibos has long been drunk with the belief that these support general wellbeing.
To brew, pour water at a full boil, 100°C, over the leaves and let it steep for five to ten minutes; the longer end draws out more depth. Take it with honey or a squeeze of lemon, or leave it plain and let the bergamot do the work.
