South Africa tea

38 South Africa teas from 7 independent UK tea merchants, from £2.50.

South Africa’s famous contribution isn’t strictly tea at all: rooibos (“red bush”) is a caffeine-free herbal infusion from the fynbos of the Western Cape’s Cederberg mountains — and it grows nowhere else on earth. Naturally sweet, smooth and low in tannin, it brews a rich amber cup with honey, vanilla and woody notes, and takes milk happily. Green (unoxidised) rooibos is grassier and more delicate; honeybush, a related plant, is sweeter still. For UK buyers, rooibos is the go-to naturally caffeine-free everyday brew — no bitterness however long it steeps, good hot or iced, and a common base for flavoured blends. Look for single-origin Cederberg rooibos from independent merchants for the fullest flavour.