In many homes across Europe, cloves used to be pushed into oranges to scent cupboards and rooms as Christmas approached. This rooibos takes up that idea: orange and clove take the lead, over a woody base from South Africa.

The rooibos, naturally caffeine-free, is accompanied by Turkish apple, Ghanaian orange peel, cinnamon sticks, clove, rose petals and cardamom, all organic. Two natural flavourings, one of orange and one of cinnamon, reinforce the spices and the citrus.

Even before infusing, you smell the clove-studded orange and the cinnamon. The liquor is mahogany and round. Candied orange comes through first, then warm cinnamon and clove; the apple brings a fruity sweetness, the rose a barely perceptible floral touch. The finish evokes gingerbread and lasts a long time.

Naturally caffeine-free, this rooibos is recommended in the evening, and it accompanies every winter evening in December. Serve it with bredele, a Yule log, marrons glacés or a slice of stollen. It also lends itself to an indulgent version, softened with a little honey and a cloud of milk.

Rooibos withstands a long infusion without bitterness: seven to ten minutes, in water at 100 °C. Fifty centilitres of water receive 7.5 to 10 g, and double that for a one-litre teapot. It is available loose leaf in our two shops, on request, and the 15 g sample lets you discover it before the festive season.