In the jar, it is the orange slices that catch the eye: whole, dried pieces laid over the copper-coloured rooibos. The rooibos and the orange slices both come from South Africa and, like the rest of the composition, come from organic cultivation.

The citrus appears here in several forms. Orange slices for the flesh, orange peel for the bitterness of the zest, a natural orange flavouring for clarity, then mandarin and a mandarin essential oil that add their more candied sweetness. A few pieces of apple complete the blend and give it roundness.

The liquor is a warm orange amber. The rooibos first gives its malty, almost honeyed roundness; the orange follows, both zesty and fleshy, then the mandarin takes over and extends the finish with a note of candied fruit. The whole remains frank and sunny, without any heaviness, and the apple softens the edges.

Caffeine-free, it suits any time of the day. In winter, it accompanies a galette, candied peel dipped in chocolate, or an orange cake; in summer, it is prepared hot, then left to cool in a carafe, before being served iced with a fresh orange slice. The infused slices, softened, are happily eaten by crunching.

At 100 °C, the water draws out the citrus fragrance in seven to ten minutes. The measure is between 15 and 20 g per litre, in other words 3 to 4 g in an ordinary 200 ml cup. It is weighed to order in the shop, from the small 15 g size up to several kilos; at home, an opaque, tightly closed box will keep it away from humidity.