This is a very beautiful tisane — the long spears of lemongrass tossed with the petals of safflower, hibiscus and marigold make this tea as appealing to the eye as it is to the palate!

The aroma of this tea is bright and lemon-y, which appropriately expresses of the flavors that await you with this tisane.

The lemongrass and lemon myrtle both contribute the delightful citrus scent and flavor to this tisane, and nicely compliments the honey-like flavor of the honeybush leaf.  The hibiscus adds a little extra tang to the overall tart profiles of the lemongrass and lemon myrtle.

That is not to say that this is an overwhelmingly sour tisane, because it is not.  The honeybush softens the acid just enough so that it is pleasantly tart, but not so much that I want to pucker after taking a sip.  On the contrary, it is very pleasant and smooth tasting, leaving just a lingering twinge of lemony tart on the tongue in the finish.

The eucalyptus is very mellow here, which is kind of surprising for this usually powerful herb.  It is detectable, but does not overpower the other flavors.  This is most definitely a lemon with honey flavor… much like the popular cough drop flavor, but much tastier!

And speaking of cough drops, I am at the tail end of a cold (complete with sore throat), and I found this tea to be extremely soothing, and helped to alleviate my symptoms as I drank.  I also found that inhaling the vapors before I would take a sip to be quite comforting.

Red Leaf Tea describes this tisane as:

The beguilingly hot climate of the African Serengeti serves as the inspiration for African Summer tea, with its unique combination of herbs that are known for their healing and nourishing properties. Its main ingredient is honey bush-which is related to rooibos-and additional vitamins and minerals are provided by eucalyptus, hibiscus, safflower, and marigolds. African Summer also contains citrus and rosehips that help boost your immune system.

I feel like the flavors of this tisane need a little boost, so I recommend adding just a little bit of sugar or other natural sweetener (such as honey or agave nectar).  The sweetener amplifies the flavor of the lemon and the honey-like qualities of the honeybush.

This tisane is delicious served hot, and is also quite refreshing chilled, although some of the flavors tend to become slightly muted in the cooling process so I would recommend that you add a little extra sweetener to it if you choose to drink it as an iced tea.

Either way, you’re in for a very healthful, yet delightful treat with this tisane.  Perfect if you’re suffering from cold or flu symptoms, but also quite tasty if you’re not!