Shrinkflation is a real thing. Only yesterday I was shopping at my nearest Whittard outlet store, only to find that the boxes felt suspiciously light. I walked away without a purchase, determined to finish my current tea stash before buying any more. And that’s what brings us to Nectar & Leaf’s Exotic Elixir.
Alongside their rather tasty Wild Violet tea, Exotic Elixir was gifted to me by Nectar & Leaf for a quick promo on Instagram. But why not review it on the blog too? You can learn about how to brew this tea, what the ingredients are, and where to buy it in my full herbal tea review below.
Nectar & Leaf Exotic Elixir at a Glance
Izzy’s Rating
- Blend: Red rooibos with mango, apple, hibiscus and herbal ingredients.
- Flavour: Mellow, nutty rooibos with subtle sweetness and fruity tropical notes.
Although Wild Violet remains my favourite, this is a very pleasant tea. It’s sumptuously smooth and gently sweetened with vanilla and hints of tropical fruits. Yum!
Full Review - Exotic Elixir Rooibos Tea
- Type: Loose leaf tea
- Ingredients: Rooibos, freeze-dried mango, apple pieces, hibiscus, rosehip, lime leaves, orange blossom, safflower, vanilla pieces, natural flavouring
- Features: Caffeine-free, natural ingredients, vegan
- Flavour Notes: Rich rooibos, vanilla warmth, apple, mango
- Aroma: Rooibos, medicine, mango
- Milk or Lemon: Honey, if desired
- Where to Buy: Nectar & Leaf or Amazon UK
The loose leaf has a strong aroma, as most rooibos herbal brews do. It’s slightly medicinal with nutty tones, but there’s also a tropical edge to be found. It’s quite strong as well, which is always a good sign! No one likes dull tea.
Once the tea has brewed into a super bright and inviting amber shade, the aroma drops a little. The rooibos still has some nuttiness, but it is muted and the tropical notes have vanished.
The flavour, however, is spectacular. Combining the nuttiness of rooibos with the sweetness of vanilla is always a great idea (see Acorus Rooibos and Vanilla Cream) but the addition of fruity notes just takes it to another level. The mango and apple are the strongest flavours, which is unusual for a tea that contains hibiscus. Additionally, the safflower is a brilliant ingredient that I want to highlight – it doesn’t add much to the flavour but it really puts on a show. You can thank the safflower for that bright hue in your cuppa!
It doesn’t stop there, however.
The texture of the tea is also worth shouting about – it’s silky smooth and warming with a slightly thick texture. It really does evoke the sensation of sipping on an elixir, which is both comforting and exciting in equal measure. Now, let’s move onto how best to brew Nectar & Leaf Exotic Elixir.
How to Brew Exotic Elixir
The instructions from Nectar & Leaf are to brew for 3 minutes in hot water, then enjoy. To be a bit more specific, rooibos is generally brewed in freshly boiled water – no messing around with thermometers.
I found that 3 minutes was not long enough to really draw the depth and complexity of this tea into your cup. Set your timer for at least 5 minutes. Alternative, if you’re using a mesh tea infuser or fillable paper teabag, leave the botanical infusion to continue brewing as you sip.
The sweetness of this tea is warm and comforting, so if you want some additional sweetness then opt for honey rather than sugar. I’m not sure adding a slice of lemon would really go with the flavours, however.
As this tea is totally caffeine-free, you can consume it in the evenings as a bedtime brew.
Why Nectar & Leaf Botanical Infusions?
Nectar & Leaf are a UK-based company – you can purchase their tea from their official website or on Amazon (links above). The box contains 60g of tea, which puts the price a little bit higher than you’d expect from Whittard and similar high-street brands… even considering the recent shrinkflation going on!
What I really like about this brand is the attention to natural botanicals and high-quality ingredients. Although the packaging (a cardboard box and plastic inner pouch) is nothing special, it’s what is in the inside that really counts. You can see who pieces of dried fruit and safflower petals amidst the rooibos needle-like leaves.
Loose leaf tea allows you to rebrew the tea leaves, but this blend is quite subtle. You don’t get much flavour from Exotic Elixir when you brew it a second time. The other advantage of loose leaf tea is that it can be composted, as there’s no plastic-containing teabag. However, there is flavouring in this tea which doesn’t do well on the compost heap – there’s a reason composters are quite strict on what can be composted at home and what cannot.
But with these minor caveats aside, I am extremely happy that Nectar & Leaf sent me a box of Exotic Elixir. Thank you!
Summary
There’s no hesitation in recommending this tea. Brew it long and hot – the tea leaves will reward you with a delicious elixir to sip on as the evening goes by. You can find this tea on Amazon using the button below (currently only in the UK) or purchase it directly from Nectar & Leaf’s official website.
Tea Recommendation
What should you drink next? Well, let me think. If you want a classic rooibos tea without the tropical elements, Teapro is the way to go. For something a little more special, then my personal recommendation would be Taylors of Harrogate Organic Peppermint Tea. It’s a refreshing elixir that also makes a wonderfully refreshing and revitalising evening tea.