I tried my first cup of redbush tea, or as it is known in it's native country, rooibosh tea, at a friend's house some years ago. She added a dash of milk to it and a teaspoon of sugar, and told me it was her caffeine-free alternative to 'normal' tea, and that it didn't 'taste like water, like most herbal teas do'. This sticks in my memory because I really enjoyed the tea, and although not a 'normal' tea drinker already, I started drinking it regularly.

I tried the Tetley brand of redbush tea when it was on offer once, and it didn't have the same taste to it as the Clipper brand, which I far prefer. The Tetley version is far more 'musky' tasting, if that makes sense, whereas the Clipper product is refreshing without being sharp in any way. The Clipper organic redbush tea has a very mild flavour, and while milder than normal tea and more similar to decaffeinated normal tea, it is also slightly sweeter. My favourite way to drink it is with a little milk and no sugar, as I do not have a massive sweet tooth and find it is sweet enough already as it is. I also like that it doesn't leave an aftertaste like some teas do.

There are a lot of health claims surrounding redbush tea and I've seen bits of research too which indicates that it is good for you, though you have to drink a large amount to get the benefits. Compared to normal tea it is definitely better for you, there is no contest there. I used to have skin complaints fairly often and these have certainly lessened recently, which is interesting as I only recently discovered that redbush tea is meant to be good for the skin.

I buy this tea from the local healthfood store and it costs me £2.22 for 40 bags when it's on offer, which I think is an excellent price for an organic product. I only ever buy organic teas because of the impact pesticides have on local communities abroad- they need all the help they can get to wean off heavy chemical use, I think. If your local store doesn't stock it, I have seen it in large supermarkets, and also online eg at Ethical Superstore.com.

This is a really nice tea to have when you're winding down in the evening and don't want caffeine to keep you up. I drink it when the baby's asleep, and I find that a few slabs of dark chocolate go really well with it. For me, it signifies a perfect end to the day.