After the immature giggles at the name of this tea settled down, myself and my family truly enjoyed testing this one out ready for Christmas. Adagio Rooibos Nutcracker is a caffeine-free tea that’s really tasty and ideal to serve to anyone who doesn’t like caffeine over Christmas.
I brewed it up using my Adagio ingenuiTEA as I find the fine mesh filter in it does a really good job of keeping the tiny rooibos needles from slipping through. It’s worth checking out if you’re going to make a huge order from Adagio before Christmas.
Adagio Rooibos Nutcracker at a Glance
- Blend: Rooibos with mixed fruit, nuts and caramel
- Flavour: Light nutty tea with sweet hints
A very light and sweet herbal tea that’s awesome for Christmas eve. Notes of apples and chestnuts perfectly compliment the nutty, honey tones of rooibos.
Full Review – Nutcracker Rooibos Tea
- Type: Loose
- Tea: Rooibos
- Additives: Apple, cocoa nibs, natural caramel flavour, marigold, natural hazelnut flavour, blue cornflower petals, natural chestnut flavour
- Flavour Notes: Honey, nuts, apple, chestnuts
- Aroma: Caramel, chestnuts, honey
- Milk or Lemon: Honey, if you have a sweet tooth
- Where to Buy: Adagio Rooibos Nutcracker
Cutting open the generous sample packet that Adagio sent to me (thanks again, guys!) I really love the aroma that comes out. It just smells like Christmas! Caramel, chestnuts and honey are the immediate notes that emerge from the rooibos and the added flavouring.
It brews slowly into a golden toffee caramel colour with burnt red edges. I know that the colour of a tea seems a bit irrelevant, but it’s actually quite important to the overall experience. It’s just so much more inviting to take a break and sip from a mug of brightly coloured tea than a dully, muddy brown tea.
Once brewed, the aroma is so much richer with caramel and chestnut notes intensifying. The cocoa nibs listed in the ingredients are still undetectable – something I’m a little sad about.
The flavour. Unggh. So good. It’s very light with honey and nut notes from the rooibos. Apple adds a subtle sweet hint and the chestnuts linger on your tongue in the aftertaste. After the rich aroma, I was disappointed at first that the flavour doesn’t match but I’ve grown to admire this tea regardless. It’s delicious as a light, after-dinner or dessert tea.
How to Brew Rooibos Christmas Tea
The first time, I followed Adagio’s instructions to brew at 100°C for 5 minutes. It produces a smooth, light brew. I wouldn’t hesitate to brew up to 10 minutes though, to make it stronger and sweeter. You don’t need to worry about over brewing this one like a traditional black or green tea.
As for what to eat with this tea, I’d stick to sweet foods to highlight the caramel notes. Dip into your box of Quality Street or Cadbury selection and wash it down with a huge mug of Adagio Rooibos Nutcracker.
Why Adagio Teas UK?
I admire the flavour combos that Adagio comes up with, they have some of the best seasonal teas I’ve come across. Adagio is in the US and UK, so if you’re buying from the UK website you won’t have to wait weeks for delivery.
Yes, there are added flavourings… but they feel necessary. They complement the blend of ingredients and they’re natural anyway – not artificial.
I’ve no trouble recommending them as a tea brand to anyone interested in herbal and caffeinated Christmas teas. Just make sure you order early so you don’t miss the Christmas delivery deadline.
Summary
Overall, this is a really pleasant tea but I have to admit I would enjoy it a lot more if it was stronger. The delicious, mouth-watering aroma of caramel and honey don’t translate into a rich flavour. If you go in and expect a light, smooth and welcoming nutty Christmas tea, you won’t be disappointed.
Tea Recommendation
Christmas is always so heavy when it comes to roast dinners and chocolate treats, so having a good few light herbal teas to have for the season is a good idea. Check out my review of Bion Chamomile Tea, it has similar warm honey notes and goes down really well when infused with milk instead of water!