Brand: T2 Flavour: Red Chocolate Mint Ingredients: Rooibos, cocoa shells, flavour Caffeine Factor: Caffeine-free Organic Ingredients: 100% Price Range: £7.50 Cups Per Box: 40 (approx.)

Review: Seeing 'flavour' tacked at the end of that brief ingredients list is never good...except when it comes to this tea - one of our favourite blends so far.  As far as we can tell, the 'flavour' can only be peppermint essence, because it's the only thing you can smell or taste above the rooibos and cocoa shells.

Perhaps you remember our review of the English Tea Shop's Rooibos Candy Cane blend.  T2's offering is similar in concept, but with far fewer ingredients - and as much as we surprised ourselves by liking the ETS blend, T2 pull off something way better.

The balance of flavours is just right.  You can't taste the cocoa shells much; instead, they seem to temper the rooibos (no rooibos aftertaste) without becoming their own flavour - wonderful if you (like us) aren't a huge fan of rooibos.  It's a bit smoky, with an earthy taste, but then the peppermint essence refreshes and wakes it up.  It's a little like having an After-8 mint...but so much nicer.

The smoky flavour makes this a great one to have first thing in the morning, in place of black tea.  The peppermint makes it good for after meals.  And in the evening, this is a wonderfully relaxing drink that eases you right into the night - especially in the cold winter.

We offered this around to several friends; everyone liked it a lot.  In fact, we all agreed that the more you drink it, the more you like it.  That's great because, being T2, it comes at £7.50 a box.  But remember you can re-brew it and make that box last a long time.  Three Tulsi loves this tea so much that she's on her third box!

Mmm, just writing this review is making us want more.  Better put the kettle on! Best time of year to drink this: All year round

Best time of day to drink this: You can find an excuse to drink this any time of day

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