How to Pronounce Rooibos

Throughout my research of tea, I have come across several different pronunciations of the African herbal “tea” known as Rooibos. The question that I pose is which one is correct… or does it even matter?

First, I want to mention that Rooibos really isn’t tea when the word “tea” is used to describe the goodness that comes from the Camellia Sinensis [third picture] or Camellia Assamica plans. Rooibos [first picture] or “red tea,” as it is sometimes referred to (mostly because they can’t figure out how to pronounce Rooibos), comes from the Calicotome Villosa plant [second picture] or “redbush.” Because of this, Rooibos does not have the same nutrients and health benefits as tea. Rooibos is classified as herbal “tea” because of its lack of caffeine and its own bag of tricks when it comes to health benefits.*

Second, I would like to point out that some definitions classify the word “tea” as anything that is steeped in water and drank. It is not necessarily hot water as there are cold brewing methods, as well. I am indifferent to this definition because when I think of the word “tea,” I think of what comes from the Camellia Sinensis or Camellia Assamica plant. Thus, when I hear or see the word “tea” being used to describe the steeping of other herbs and spices in water, my left eye starts to twitch.** This twitching is normally reserved for when I see the wrong uses of words such as “your/you’re, their/they’re/there, etc.”

Therefore, I try to stick with referring to this particular kind of substance as Rooibos and avoid using the “red tea” terminology.

With all of that said, it brings me to my original question: How does one pronounce Rooibos?

These are the pronunciations that I have heard thus far:
ROY-boss
Row-EE-bohs
Roux-EE-bohs
Roux-EE-boss
ROUX-bohs
ROUX-boss

The conclusion I have made is the first pronunciation (ROY-boss) seems to be the most popular way of saying Rooibos according to my Wiki and Google searches.

This is how I have always pronounced it. Although, I have caught myself saying ROY-bohs instead of boss. Oh well. I guess I would rather learn how to say a slightly difficult word than say “red tea,” confuse people with the difference between real tea and herbal “tea,” and start twitching again.

*I am not going to go into detail about the health benefits of Rooibos because I personally don’t care about them… I like to focus more on taste. If you would like to know the specifics then look them up. Google or Wiki is a good place to start.

**Ok, not really. I was just trying to get my point across.

Image References: Calicotome Villosa, Camellia Sinensis

Mighty Leaf's Rooibos Renewal Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: United States
Price: Free sample (regular price - $8.95 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 205°F, steeped for 5 - 7 minutes
Overall Score: 3.7 out of 5

Rooibos Renewal is a green rooibos base with orange peels, rose petals, and blue mallow flowers. The aroma is citrusy and floral. The orange scent hits me first, followed closely by the flowers. The blend is colorful with the tiny green rooibos specs, the orange peels, and the purple and white flower petals. Between the look and smell of this blend, I’m sure it would easily become confused with potpourri.

The aroma as the blend is steeping is similar to the dry blend aroma, although the floral scents come out a lot more after being subjected to hot water. The color of the liquor is a yellow color that greatly resembles the color of honey.





The taste is sweet, with a lot of citrus flavor up front. Both the rooibos and the flowers provide the sweet floral after taste that lingers for a while. This particular rooibos doesn’t seem to hold the woody characteristics of what would be considered the normal rooibos base. Because of that, there is no woody or smoke flavor in the mix which means the taste is even sweeter.

The tea is not bitter or astringent; however, it does taste more acidic than I am comfortable with. It almost has the same mouth feel as drinking a glass of orange juice. I believe this would be a refreshing treat when iced with no need to add sweetener.

Kalahari’s Zambezi Red Chai Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $3.50 for 20 Pouches)
Vendor: Kalahari
Brewing Method: 1 teabag, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F, steeped for 4 - 5 minutes
Overall Score: 3.8 out of 5

Zambezi Red Chai is a rooibos base blend with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper. The dry leaf aroma smells of chai spices with the ginger and cloves standing out more than the rest. I cannot see much of the dry leaf blend because of the opaque tea bag, but from what I can make out there lots of colorful specs of spices throughout.

The cinnamon and clove aromas are more distinguishable as the tea is steeping. The liquor before milk is added is a light copper color. The liquid is rather foggy, but I have found that to happen whenever cinnamon is an ingredient in the blend. After milk is added, the liquid becomes a light brown or tan color.



The taste is… warm. I can taste the cloves, cinnamon, and ginger which provides for the overall warm feeling. The milk helps cut some of the harshness from the spices, but I can still feel the heat in the back of my throat.

This rooibos base chai seems to be sweeter than the Assam base chai’s. There is a lack of bitterness and astringency that normally comes with the Assam base blends. It is also mellower than chai’s made with black tea… even though the cloves are always relentless no matter what else is in the blend.

Kalahari’s Cherry Vanilla Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Free Sample (regular price - $4.99 for 16 Pouches)
Vendor: Kalahari
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teabag, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 180°F, steeped for 3 - 5 minutes
Overall Score: 4.1 out of 5

Cherry Vanilla is a rooibos base blend of dark roasted cacao, cinnamon, licorice, chicory, cardamom, ginger, cloves, vanilla, and natural cherry flavor. As soon as I made the first rip on the foil wrapper I could smell the overwhelming sweet scent of the chocolate, cherry, and vanilla flavors. From what I can see through the tea bag, there are white specs of something among the dark rooibos.

The vanilla aroma comes out a lot more as the tea is steeping. In fact, the cherry and chocolate aromas that I could detect in the dry leaves are almost gone. The liquor is a dark copper color.





Wow, there is quite a bit of flavor from that tiny tea bag! The overall sweetness of this blend knocked me back a bit. The cherry and vanilla flavors come together to create a creamy/fruity flavor which is kind of like putting whipped cream on a cherry and eating it.

There is also a bite that builds after a few sips. I am assuming that is from the cinnamon, licorice, and chicory as it has a woody/burning after taste. I don’t look at this as a bad thing… it gives the tea a little kick at the end, basically. Although, I lost the chocolate aroma and flavor completely.

Don’t even think about adding any sweeteners. There is no bitterness or astringency to this tea. I think these ingredients provide a nice balance of sweet and savory… which is something I have never tasted in a tea.

Kalahari’s Highlands Honey Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Free Sample (regular price - $3.50 for 16 Pouches)
Vendor: Kalahari
Brewing Method: 1 teabag, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 180°F, steeped for 4 - 5 minutes
Overall Score: 4.8 out of 5

Highlands Honey is a rooibos base with natural honey vanilla flavor. I can smell and identify the honey and vanilla right away – more so the vanilla. The dry ingredients give off an overall sweet aroma. I cannot say much about the appearance of the blend because it is in an opaque paper filter bag, hence the lack of the dry leaf picture that I normally take.

The aroma of the brew is of sweet vanilla with the woody rooibos in the background. The liquor is an orangish copper color.



The taste is super sweet. I cannot taste any honey notes, but I can taste the vanilla up front, then the rooibos in the after taste. The tea has a cooling effect in my mouth – similar to mint. Because of that, I can see how this would be great iced.

There is absolutely no bitterness or astringency in this cup. I will have to call you crazy if you think this needs any type of sweetener added to it.

I will admit, “red tea” (even though it isn’t really tea) or rooibos is not my favorite cuppa, however, I cannot stop drinking this. I am not sure why. It could be because the normally strong woody flavor of the rooibos is not that strong with this blend. It is more about the vanilla flavor. Although, vanilla is definitely not one of my favorite flavors either. I am still baffled, but whatever it is, it won’t let me put my cup down.

Pearl Tea’s Rooibos Lemon Creme Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $12.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 194°F-203°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5

Rooibos Lemon Crème is a mix of rooibos, lemongrass, and marigold petals. I smell the fruity rooibos right away, followed by the lemony flavors. The blend mostly consists of reddish-brown bits of rooibos. Strips of green lemongrass and marigold petals can be seen throughout the blend.

The freshly brewed tea smells of pungent rooibos with a hint of lemon in the background. The fruity aroma from the rooibos is what I smell if I get my nose anywhere near the cup. The liquor is a reddish-orange color.





The taste is sweet and more subtle than I thought it was going to be. I can taste the rooibos in the first sip and in the aftertaste, but the lemon is a little hard to find. I notice the lemon flavor if I actively search for it, but it is so subtle I may not have known it was in the blend unless I was told.

Overall the taste is sweet, fruity, and smooth. There is no bitterness or astringency. I found the taste very mild for being a rooibos. I think maybe a slightly longer steep time would pack a heartier punch and may bring out the flavor of the lemon some more – I can smell the lemon, but I just can’t taste it.

Pearl Tea’s “Chai Chai” Christy Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $15.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 194°F-203°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes, added ¼ cup of milk
Overall Score: 3.2 out of 5

“Chai Chai” Christy is a blend of rooibos, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. I can smell the cloves and ginger immediately. I can faintly smell the rooibos, but I really have to look for that particular aroma. Overall this dry blend smells really spicy. I can see the tiny bits of the red rooibos along with pieces of ginger. The cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves seem to be ground up in this blend.

While the blend is steeping, the liquor is a yellowish-orange color. I can still smell the cloves and ginger up front. The fruity rooibos aroma hangs out in the background.





The taste is warm and slightly spicy. Once again, the cloves and ginger are the first things I notice. I can barely taste the rooibos in this blend. Most of the rooibos blends that I have come across say to steep for 5-7 minutes. This one suggested 2-3 minutes. I steeped the tea closer to 3 minutes, but I think that a longer steeping time might be a good thing for this tea because it might let the rooibos flavor have a chance to show its stuff a little more.

This blend was not that strong on its own and adding milk made it even weaker – creamier, but still very mellow. So, if you like chai, but don’t want to be knocked off your seat like some chai’s have a tendency to do, then this one might be the way to go.

Mighty Leaf’s Organic African Nectar (Iced) Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $9.95 for 15 Pouches)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-205°F, steeped for 5 - 7 minutes, let cool to room temperature then added ice
Overall Score: 4.3 out of 5

Organic African Nectar is a blend of rooibos mixed with organic hibiscus flowers and organic marigold flowers. A rush of fruity and floral aromas hit me as I open the package. I can pick out the fruity rooibos aroma while the hibiscus and marigold aromas blend together in the background. Overall the blend smells insanely sweet. Reds and yellows make up the color of the leaves for this blend.

After the tea is steeped and iced, I could easily smell the fruity rooibos. I could no longer pick up on the floral aromas, however. The liquor is a pretty yellowish-red color.



The taste is lively and fruity. It is quite sweet and refreshing, as well. I can taste the fruity rooibos while the hibiscus and marigold blend into the background. I can taste more of the floral flavors in the aftertaste than in the initial sip. Admittedly, I thought the rooibos might get overpowered with the floral flavors because of how pungent the flowers smelled before steeping. However, the taste is just the right balance of fruity and floral.

When iced this tea is still full of flavor. The fruity qualities in this tea make it rather sweet and refreshing. I believe there is no sugar or sweetener needed here. Even the pickiest sweet iced tea drinkers may not notice the lack of sugar.

Mighty Leaf’s Coco Chai Review

Type: Chai (Rooibos base)
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $8.95 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-205°F, steeped for 5 - 7 minutes
Overall Score: 4.6 out of 5

Coco Chai is a blend of rooibos, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, red peppercorns, and coconut. I can smell the fruity immediately followed by the sweet coconut. There is a spicy aroma in the background, but I can’t tell if it is from the ginger or the peppercorns. I can see slivers of coconut, cardamom, and whole peppercorns mixed in with the tiny red rooibos.

While steeping, the tea smells of fruity rooibos and sweet coconut. I can smell the ginger and cinnamon, as well. Those aromas put together give the tea a sweet but spicy smell. The liquor is a pretty orange or copper color.





Just like the aroma, the taste is an awesome blend of sweet and spicy. I taste the fruity rooibos first. Then the sweet coconut settles in the aftertaste. Finally, a couple of seconds later the ever so gentle amount of heat from the cinnamon and ginger creeps up in the aftertaste. The more I sip, the more of the battle between the sweet coconut and the spices becomes noticeable.

Bitterness and astringency is not an issue with this blend. The sweetness from the rooibos and coconut seem to take care of the bitterness while the spices have been kept to the right amount as to not become unpleasant in the mouth.

I would say go ahead and add some milk if you want (since that is how chai is traditional prepared). That would mellow out some of the spices and bring out the coconut even more. However, I think the flavors in this tea are exceptional on their own.

Adagio’s Rooibos Vanilla Chai Review

Type: Chai (rooibos base)
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price – $7 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Adagio
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 170°F-180°F, steeped for 6-7 minutes
Overall Score: 4.0 out of 5

Rooibos Vanilla is rooibos blended with vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom. The first thing I smell is the cloves, followed by the fruity scent of the rooibos. In the background I can smell the vanilla and cinnamon. The blend is really colorful with the yellow cardamom, black and brown spices, and the red flecks of rooibos.

The liquor is a dark orange color. When I smell the freshly brewed tea, the cloves jump at me first and then I smell the fruity rooibos along with the sweet vanilla.





When I taste the tea, I get the spices on my tongue right away. The rooibos floats in the background and I can taste the sweet vanilla a lot more than I thought I would. I can still taste the spicy cloves, but they provide the perfect amount of kick instead of being too overpowering (Finally!).

Between the vanilla and the rooibos the tea tastes quite sweet. It’s not bitter or astringent at all. Add milk and/or sugar if you want, but I think this blend is fine on its own.

Teas Etc’s Mango Nut Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price – $7.95 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Teas Etc
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 180°F-190°F, steeped for 4-6 minutes
Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5

Mango Nut is a combination of mango, macadamia, and coconut. The first thing I smell is a double dose of fruity aromas from the mango followed by the rooibos. I also smell some faint nuttiness in the background. The blend is a mix of the reddish brown rooibos and twisted slice of yellow mango.

It may be just me, but I think the aroma of the tea reminds me of an alcoholic drink like the fuzzy navel or something along that line. It has that pungent citrus smell. The liquor is a beautiful caramel or orange color.





The taste is fruity – between the mango and the rooibos. I taste the mango slightly more than the rooibos. At first, I wasn’t sure if both fruity flavors would fight for attention (because rooibos likes to do whatever it can to be front and center).

However, I think the rooibos complements the mango and gives it that citrusy-but-not-too-citrusy flavor. Some nutty flavors can be noted in the aftertaste. It is not bitter or astringent. It is rather refreshing. I think this would be even better on ice.

Mighty Leaf’s Chocolate Mint Truffle Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $9.95 for 15 pouches)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: 1 bag, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-205°F, steeped for 5 minutes
Overall Score: 4.0 out of 5

Chocolate Mint Truffle is rooibos infused with chocolate and mint. I could smell the mint as soon as I opened the package. The fruity aroma of the rooibos followed. I couldn’t really smell any of the chocolate, but mint is an aroma that normally over powers anything else that is with it. The tea bag is about half full (or half empty) with the blend. The mix has a brownish-red color to it because of the dark rooibos, but I can see some flecks of the green mint.

The chocolate aroma comes out while the tea is steeping. The fruity rooibos and the mint are still present, but the aromas of all the ingredients finally came together with the addition of hot water. The liquor is a very deep red color, but in a deep cup such as the one in the picture, the liquor looks brown.





The taste is overall very mellow. I taste the sweet, fruity rooibos first and then the aftertaste is the mint with the rest of the rooibos. The plus side is that this tea is rather sweet with no bitterness at all. The down side is that I really don’t taste the chocolate in this blend, which is kind of disappointing because I love chocolate as much as the next person. I am surprised at how much of the rooibos flavor I get compared to the mint. My mouth feels cool, but the mint is no where near overpowering.

By the time I reached the bottom of the cup, I was still missing the chocolate. Even though the idea of mixing two loves - tea and chocolate - seems fantastic… in reality, I’m not sure if they will ever go together in the way we hope. But, what is to stop us from trying, right?