Buckwheat is not a cereal but a member of the Polygonaceae, a cousin of sorrel; when roasted, its grains take on a scent of hazelnut and toasted bread, which the Japanese appreciate in infusion under the name soba-cha. Ombelle has made it one of the keys to its Rooibos de Noël Pomme Cannelle Bio, with roasted buckwheat from China.

The base remains a natural rooibos from South Africa, joined by cinnamon sticks from Indonesia or Viêt-Nam, crushed cocoa nibs, mandarin, coconut and even popcorn, with natural green apple and cinnamon flavourings and an essential oil of mandarin. On the farming side, everything is organic.

The dry blend, copper and brown, smells of biscuits fresh from the oven. The mahogany liquor unfolds a toasted, almost cereal-like roundness, which the cocoa deepens. The apple and cinnamon follow, like a festive refrain, the mandarin lighting up the finish with a note of candied citrus.

Naturally caffeine-free, it is designed for winter afternoons and the festive season. Allow 6 to 10 grams per 50 cl, that is 12 to 20 g per litre; the water must be boiling, at 100°C, and the infusion should run for seven minutes, or ten for a fuller cup. With a cloud of milk, it takes on the air of a light hot chocolate; it accompanies shortbread, a Yule log or clementines without difficulty.

Presented in a bag weighed to order, from the sample to the large sizes, it makes a lovely seasonal gift. Keep it closed, in a dry place.