Cinnamon and orange, the pairing of winter desserts, set on a red rooibos: Richmond is one of the simplest flavoured rooibos teas from Mariage Frères, and the house describes it as surprising, full of flavour and delicate, and regards it as a convivial blend.

The rooibos comes from South Africa, where this Cape shrub has been grown for generations; its needles, oxidised then dried, give a russet infusion, naturally caffeine-free. The declared ingredients are red rooibos and flavouring; the blend may contain traces of tree nuts. The full list appears on the packaging.

The liquor is round and warm, a deep russet. The cinnamon opens, sweet and woody, then the orange brings a fresh zest that stops the spice from weighing it down, and the rooibos, velvety, gives on the finish that note of warm wood and honey that is its own. Low in tannins and free of bitterness, the cup stays gentle.

It is the quintessential evening infusion, caffeine-free and suitable for children too, and it goes with a winter dessert, an apple tart, a gingerbread or cinnamon biscuits. With a splash of milk and a touch of honey, it almost becomes a spiced hot milk. Infused then chilled, it also makes a pleasant autumn iced tea.

Allow 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95°C and five minutes of steeping. Richmond is weighed and packed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo, in a bag designed to preserve its fragrance, and should be kept in an airtight container, away from light.