Happy new year! My first tea review of 2022 is something that’s a little sweet, easy to brew, and is good for you too. Whittard Blueberry Rooibos is a caffeine-free herbal tea made with some truly delicious ingredients.
If you enjoy blueberry muffins, then you will instantly fall in love with this tea. I have a bit of a sweet tooth and this is one of my favourite sweet herbal teas for the evenings – although the muffin-like flavour also makes it brilliant as a breakfast tea.
In my full review below, find out what this tea tastes like, how to brew it, what the ingredients are, and where to buy it.
Whittard Blueberry Rooibos Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Rooibos tea with blueberries and flavourings
- Flavour: Soft rooibos with sweet blueberry notes
With a gorgeous blueberry muffin aroma and soft, sweet flavour, this tea is a really gentle and lovely cuppa for when you need a quiet revitalising break.
Full Review – Whittard of Chelsea Blueberry Rooibos
- Type: Loose leaf
- Tea: South African rooibos
- Additives: Blueberries, blackberry leaves, blackcurrant leaves, amaranth, cornflower petals, flavouring
- Flavour Notes: Watery rooibos, light blueberry notes, sweet
- Aroma: Blueberry muffins, medicinal, cake, sweet
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Whittard Official Website or Amazon
I first tried this tea years and years ago, but Whittard has updated the ingredients lately and it’s definitely an improvement. The initial aroma is of unmistakable blueberry muffins – sweet, fruity and with that freshly baked cakey scent. There’s also a slight medicinal edge which is quite common with rooibos teas.
The tea comes out a dark red-black colour but I still recommend you drink it without milk. The aroma from the brewed tea is pretty much the same as the dried leaf aroma, but a fair bit lighter.
As for the flavour, it’s quite light and watery with no real body or substance. The rooibos has a natural light nuttiness and the blueberry flavouring is sweet but not overpowering. Together, they make for a very refreshing and light tea. The medicinal aroma of the rooibos doesn’t translate into the flavour, thankfully. It’s ideal for breakfast or late in the evening when you want something sweet without a mountain of calories.
Of course, it’s nowhere near as tasty as a true blueberry muffin, but it fills a hole.
How to Brew Flavoured Rooibos Tea
Rooibos is an herbal tea from South Africa that is caffeine-free, so you can drink this late at night without worry. Whittard recommend using boiling water for 3-5 minutes. I used 4g (approximately 2 teaspoons) for 3 minutes.
You can also use 2g (approximately 1 teaspoon) and brew for slightly longer, but I find that this enhances the rooibos and reduces the blueberry notes.
This tea doesn’t need sugar or milk, but I would recommend a meal or snack alongside it. Muesli or Greek yoghurt will work well, giving you some substance without overpowering the natural sweetness of the tea.
Why Whittard of Chelsea?
Whittard Blueberry Rooibos is described as tasting like blueberries with honey and Greek yoghurt, but I really didn’t get that from my cup. Regardless, it was a great tasting tea and the quality of the ingredients is great.
The rooibos is naturally needle-shaped and is actually whole leaf, even though it doesn’t look it. There are also whole blueberries floating around along with flecks of flavouring and various leaves. It’s lovely to see real fruit in this blend! It’s a hallmark of being one of the best berry teas.
Rooibos is naturally rich in antioxidants and may protect your heart health, reducing the risk of cancer and improving cholesterol levels according to Healthline.
If you have the money, opt for the 100g loose tea caddy instead of the pouch I have reviewed. The pouch contains an inner plastic bag which isn’t recyclable while the caddy is plastic-free and you get 50p off every time you refill it at a Whittard’s store.
Summary
This tea was very pleasant and I certainly recommend it to anyone who needs a caffeine-free sweet breakfast tea. Rooibos is considered a good replacement to black tea, but it doesn’t suit everyone’s tastes. Some people find it to be a little too medicinal. Nonetheless, Whittard do a brilliant job blending it with luscious blueberry flavours.
Tea Recommendation
Another herbal tea that’s very popular with people who can’t or won’t consume caffeine is hibiscus. Hibiscus is actually a flower that produces a berry-like flavour and aroma when brewed. It’s a popular ingredient in tart fruit tisanes and is lovely brewed plain too. Read my article 10 best hibiscus teas to learn more.