African Rooibos

A Fantastic ode to the noble and beautiful red flowering bush from the southern subregion of Africa. Grown wildly in South Africa in the Fynbos or "fine bush" in Afrikaans a Dutch vernacular, dried rooibos leaves are characterized to have some nuances in scent profile of tobacco, cranberries, apricot, honey and yerba mate. It's profile comes across as bitter, sour, herbal and slightly fruity sweet when consumed. Records of the usage of the Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos plant) shows that Khosian communities of the Southern nations of Africa, some examples being the nomadic tribes of the Khoekhoe and San, used this plant for horticulture medicines and remedies noting to have found its taste quite appealing when ingested. Rooibos means "Red Bush" in Afrikaans. Because of its relation in profile to Ceylon Tea or Black tea, the plant was quickly cultivated by Dutch colonialists who consumed it as a replacement for the more expensively imported Black tea from Sri Lanka. The Dutch farmed Aspalathus Linearis in Cederberg a mountainous region in the Western Cape of South Africa where local African communities had harvested it wild. The Dutch colonizers seized this location to ensure their commercial output of the plant for tea was maximized. This is fine tea perfume that to me does better justice to the material than Bvlgari Eau Thè Rouge and mind-you please, that is no easy feat because the Bvlgari is one of my favorite tea fragrances. While not at all redundant, Bvlgari Eau Thè Rouge is quite a good representation of the smell and African Rooibos has to follow similar facets to achieve the smell properly. But African Rooibos is easily much different in its profile and much deeper. Where Eau Thé Rouge is creamier, nuttier, and slightly thick, African Rooibos is smokier, fresh and watery, with a myriad of quality ingredients in its palette. It has easily stolen Bvlgari Eau Thè Rouge's spot. As it stands at the writing of this review there are a good handful of Rooibos tea fragrances that exist by indie houses. Some designers have had their takes on the ingredient as well. However with such a complex and soft profile as tea it is so incredibly difficult to get the scent right, balancing the transparent wateriness and herbal density of the ingredient. In my opinion perfumes that have achieved a tea character with striking realness are mostly the ones that do not consider themselves tea fragrances at all. These fragrances are named after the functions of their main ingredients but provide much more fresh dimension than the sum of their parts like Flos Mortis, Cuir de Chine and Slowdive for example. African Rooibos opens very watery and smoky with some bitter tobacco, a metallic, mentholated, bittersweet cranberry and some apricot nuances. There is a delicate earthiness from orris and cedar that is muted but authenticates Rooibos' organic, mildewy or earthy qualities and some sweet vanilla facets that are probably contributed by a quiet hint of tonka bean. The immortelle is definitely here but so well blended it is almost imperceptible, providing more dimension as a harmonious, delicate, spicy and tea-like herbal partner to the main Rooibos component. The fragrance wears quite fresh and well groomed and has a smoky sleekness in its profile that smells rather debonair. This profile is incredibly difficult to unpack I almost gave up trying in my notes because it smells so natural, so delicate and so real that even the slightest change in temperature made the profile smell completely new. A fantastically designed tea fragrance that actually smells like the essence of the Rooibos plant or a realistic and fine quality Rooibos brew. A brilliantly sincere composition dedicated to African art and culture. African Rooibos is unisex leaning masculine and an excellent fresh signature with long duration and polite sillage. African concepts in scent is still a very much unexplored sector in perfumery. The furthest perfumers are willing to go to represent the massive continent and its many countries and cultures is to stop at Egypt which is a very surface level approach to Africa, and has been explored and investigated to death in my honest assessment. Create a perfume about the Zobo drink otherwise known as Sorrel in the Caribbean, or the African Samurai Yasuke, or about Mansa Musa, or about the warrior diety Ogun for example. So many avenues, but it must be approached with endearment, research, and integrity. I hope the brand of Chris Collins continues to take these creative approaches to perfumery, exploring artistic media to produce very original, evocative, smart and well blended fragrances. Try it for yourself, but for me, a must have. 🌺🫖🍇 10/10

Pulled in very different directions here, because while African Rooibos is sheer heaven in many ways it's a miss on certain important other metrics. GOOD: Judging purely by nose, simply as a smell alone, it's gorgeous. A really intense, golden-herbal-friendly rooibos, with a great citrus zing up top for the first half hour (at first pour?), and undergirded with a convincingly woody-peppery layer that somehow conjures even more of the true joy of tea. While fit to stand between my own tea-centric favourites it's not really much like any of them; there's no green-conifer edge as in Mona di Orio Bohea Boheme, no orange zest as in Winter Palace, and it's much pepperier and a bit more masc than Bvlgari au The Rouge. Definitely not aiming to duplicate anyone or anything else - it's doing its own thing, with great aplomb and charm and self-control. Impeccably unisex. Something about it is truly classy; seems upscale, discreet, moneyed without vulgarity, genuinely made of plants. Has a great sense of almost-spicy almost-herbal goodness rounding out its lovely rooibos. Also has that fascinating see-saw effect going between warm and cool which makes many a good tea scent great, and which settles into a perfect equilibrium in the middle. The orris is a low-key, chalky pastel feel smudging everything together rather than screaming IRIS!!! and the immortelle just adds a little bit of bass-hum earthiness rather than its sometimes bullying spice-beast aura. So this is a pretty stunning all-rounder, to be honest - something that could be worn anywhere on any day of the year, without seeming at all basic - and how many perfumes can do THAT? BAD: Overpriced. Longevity is not strong. I'd thought / hoped / feared this might be the final boss of all teas, something whose price and pedigree would mean it would FINALLY hold on to that precious aroma of freshly brewed leaves and last, for far longer than any of my Bvlgari or Floraiku or Welton dalliances. (And that's a high bar to clear, because all those houses are serious tea specialists and their scents are fantastic ... while they last). But sadly the Collins also fades fast - down to skin only within the hour, barely detectable 6h in. From the reviews on fragrantica, it looks like even the even-more-expensive African Rooibos Intens version wouldn't resolve either issue. Like fresh tea itself, it seems, tea scents are just not mean to be kept hanging around. Whoever cracks this chemical conundrum in future can take all my money. UGLY: Not available in my country (the UK) anyway - and Chris Collins doesn't ship outside the US, which is WILDLY frustrating. So this is the story of an obsession safely dispelled. As another Bvlgari Eau Parfumee Au The Rouge fan heartbroken by its discontinuation, I was genuinely tormented by the idea that this scent - so often mentioned as the "next best thing" to BEPATR - was out there in America and I'd never get anywhere near it. I've been hunting for samples of this for literally years - stalking any number of dubious decanters, iffy eBayers, and resellers of unproved honesty, all around the global web, to try and track one down. So I was perhaps over-excited (in an over-caffeinated sort of way) to finally find someone who'd sell me a small sample of African Rooibos. Overall result: I truly love the scent itself, adore its artistry and would wear it any day with complete happiness. But in the real world, it turned out to be a rarer beast than even I suspected - a true and beautiful scent unicorn which I can still live without. Even though yes, I'm smitten, it's not workable. The story, yet again, is DON'T RUSH. It's always worth waiting to test before blind buying, even if the wait is torturous, because sometimes what you're most in love with is the weight of your own expectations, rather than the actual liquid in the bottle. Lurk with patience and never pay for something you've never smelled.

I don't give the title of "masterpiece" to many fragrances, but African Rooibos is one of the few that is truly deserving of that title; this is high-art for your nose. I've smelled many tea fragrances in my lifetime, but none quite like this. Let's start with the bottle that houses this magical juice; it's a beautiful deep ruby colour (very reminiscent of rooibos tea), with Chris Collins' signature rose gold cap and label. It gives a very classic and elegant presentation. Now as far as the actual fragrance goes, I can guarantee that you've never smelled anything like this before. For starters, rooibos isn't a very commonly used note, but the way Mr. Collins has crafted it into this fragrance, is masterful. Upon first spray, you get the unmistakable scent of rooibos tea. He mixes it with his top-note lineup, which includes black pepper, cardamom, and bergamot. The pepper and cardamom offer a wonderful warmth and spiciness that isn't at all intrusive or offensive, but just right. I would say that-that is Chris Collins' signature; perfectly balanced fragrances. All the notes compliment each other exquisitely. As the fragrance dries, you get to the woody/earthier side of things and discover the orris root, cedar, and tonka bean. It provides so much complexity and nuance to this fragrance, the likes of which is no doubt very hard to craft. It's equal parts spicy, earthy, woody, and a surprisingly green element to it. It has an herbal, slightly medicinal smell to it, perhaps due to the presence of the immortelle note? At times it wafts over into a soapy kind of smell, albeit a very luxurious soap. All the while, the rooibos note lingering in the background, reminding you it is the star player. My favourite aspect of Chris Collins' fragrances are the vivid images they evoke. Each fragrance provides very clear and distinct images of the story that lies within each bottle. African Rooibos immediately transports me to a small, warmly-lit café, with a crackling fireplace in the background. You're in a cozy arm chair, enjoying a steaming cup of rooibos tea with a little cinnamon stir-stick, looking out one of the frosted windows as the snow falls. Because of this vivid imagery, and the overall warmth and spiciness of this fragrance, I associate it more with cold weather-wear (fall/winter). However, the herbal/green aspects of it also make it perfectly suited for spring weather, as well. Honestly, it's very versatile in that aspect, where it transcends seasonal-wear; day or night, it doesn't matter. You get a full day's wear out of African Rooibos. The sillage and projection are powerful without being overbearing. Everything about this fragrance is perfect. Saying that this would be the crown jewel of Chris Collins' line would be a gross understatement; a no-brainer.

Tea lovers rejoice! Photorealistic red rooibos tea in your favorite teacup, the cup warming your chilled hands as you watch the steam cascading off the delicate rim, the deep amber-red color gradually blossoming within the cup while you settle into a cozy, cushioned window alcove; the morning sun illuminating perpetually windy mid-autumn leaves reflecting the rooibos color within your grasp. You are at ease as the aroma seems to sweep away whatever worries the day could bring. First impressions aren't really this scent's thing. Upon application, I found the black pepper screechy, the herbs pungent and a bit dirty. Not to mention, when my sister had sampled it, I believed it did not agree with her chemistry very well (as it would turn out, she just oversprayed, which she has a terrible habit of doing). But as I let it settle, in a matter of minutes, it had become much more cohesive, harmonious, and wonderfully linear. A fresh pouch of red rooibos, earthy, woodsy, and inviting; black pepper in tandem with cardamom and bergamot adding a spicy kick and a drop of freshness, respectively—orris root adding a sprinkle of powder to tame and soften these notes on a backdrop of warm cedar. Perfectly unisex and unique, which is not as common as one may think, with so many fragrances marketed as such. A mellow, brisk autumn or early spring fragrance—I have no doubt this could come across as overpowering in warmer weather. Speaking of overpowering, please do not overspray!!! This scent has good throw and longevity; there is no reason to do over 3 spritzes max, otherwise, instead of coming across as mysterious yet inviting, it would come across as if you just finished rolling around in the dirt of a forest in attempt to dry yourself off after accidently dropping scalding tea all over yourself, which is what my sister smelled like when she proudly declared she did 6-7 sprays of this🙄. All this to say, this fragrance stands beautifully on its own and is one of the few fragrances out there to get a realistic tea scent right. Part of me wishes this scent had an actual matching rooibos tea blend with some of the notes listed, it really is that alluring! You can also feel free to layer this with a linear scent or lotion; I typically layer this with a dark vanilla, like Zara's Supreme Vanilla.

I wrote about this fragrance already. I said it was good, great, stupendous. Buttttt let me tell you! I wore this out in the bright sunshine on a 90 degree day. I was stopped 5 times by women and men alike. I was asked to write down what I had on. At the optometrist, the doctor had a whole conversation about why she needed the fragrance for herself and apologized for fawning over the scent. As I was paying, the girl behind the counter said, 'OK, you smell like really, really, really, really, really good' (and she used that many reallys) Afterwards I went to the grocery store. The guy wrapping my fish said 'sorry to ask but what're you wearing' and asked me write it down. The food inspector scanning meat Temps asked for the name of the scent too. A lady walked down the seasoning aisle three times and when she heard another woman asking me what I was wearing , she giggled and said she was trying to figure out so she could ask too. And trust, it wasn't just my natural aura. I had on board shorts and a wrinkled shirt with a pair of hey dude shoes on. I sprayed three sprays of the scent at 8am and by the time I got home at 4pm, I could still smell myself because this is one of few scent ls I don't go anosmic too. Over 100 frags in my collection, and this one is a certified banger. It lasts, great projection and sillage. Performs in any occasion. Gets compliments and come on, although we should wear scents because we love it, we know we all love the head nod from others. And to put this scent in context other bangers I'll list it in the rotation now of my top ten which are as follows: 1. BLEECKER STREET & Hampton Bond 9 layered together (doesn't seem like it should work but boy does it) 2. MFK Gentle Fluidity (women LOVE this on a guy) 3. MUSK Therapy Initio or Imagination by Louis Vuitton 4. PDM Layton / Apple Brandy by Kilian tie 5. CEDRAT Boise 6. Montabac Intensivo by Ormande Jayne 7. Rehab by Initio / Blessed Baraka tie 8. Black Phantom 9. Erba Pura / 40 knotes tie xerjoff 10. Chris Collins African Rooibos

African Rooibos Best tea scent I’ve tried. Was planning to write a review a year ago when it was even more underrated, but I couldn’t acquire a bottle until now If you’re looking for a tea scent that perfectly encapsulates bitter and smoking tea, then this is it. If you drink lots of tea straight black (without any sugar, etc), then you’ll know what I mean with the soothing bitter aftertaste. It’s not your typical sweet or bright tea (thankfully). Black pepper and cardamom sift throughout with the pepper being more prominent, and it combines with the immortelle which gives it the smoky and bitter facet! Mix this in with the actual rooibos tea note and you get a magical nuance of a “red” smoky, bitter, herbal, medicinal, and slightly earthy smell. Just like rooibos tea The cedar gives it a nice woody backbone and the tonka gives it a slightly sweet and soft dry down The orris gives it a slightly soapy facet which works with the rest of the composition beautifully Spiritual. Calming. Meditative It’s the type of scent akin to the cup of tea that you’d appreciate so much after a good meal or after a long day The longevity and personal bubble projection is fantastic for a tea scent! Masterpiece from Sidonie Lancesseur, and she’s a genius. I’m not sure how she was able to make it so damn precise

Luxurious, creamy London fog latte, stirred with a cinnamon stick or two, served in a thick heavy ceramic mug (not one of those delicate porcelain teacups), enjoyed in a log cabin that smells like cedar. 😍 I love tea scents, and this one truly stands out. This is unexpectedly lactonic, and reminds me of milk tea, or London fog latte. I'm less familiar with Rooibos tea listed in the notes, but I associate this scent with Earl Grey cause of the bright bergamot. But the opening is oh so creamy! Maybe there's a couple marshmallows sprinkled on top too. The strong cinnamon balances it out, but doesn't enter christmas drink territory. After a couple hours, it's less lactonic and smells like a nicely steeped cup of tea with a lemon wedge. The pencil shaving drydown remains in the background with a touch of sweetness to round it all out. I was worried it would lean too masculine based on the reviews, but it feels truly unisex to me as a 36F. It's a sexy and confident scent, but also office appropriate and versatile for any seasons or occasions. For reference, some of my other favorite tea scents are Le Labo The Noir, HOB Casa Blanca, gris charnel, Liis Etheral wave, Nest Indigo, etc.... I think I've found a new favorite with this one :)

African Rooibos is a great fragrance. This fragrance opens with a sweet spicy, ambery, dark aroma...did I say spicy?. Note breakdown: Bergamot, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Rooibos Tea, Orris Root, Tonka Bean, Cedar and Immortelle. Ambery due to the Immortelle, sweet due to the Cardamom, spicy due to the Rooibos Tea and Black Pepper notes. This fragrance is straight FIRE!! Although my wife says this one isn't her favorite, I believe all these notes mixed carefully and artfully gives a nice, sweet spicy fragrance that lingers throughout the day. Not to mention, I haven't come across anything that resembles this. I would describe this as a masculine fragrance, perhaps unisex, thus anyone could wear this. To me, the performance is great as I put some on this morning after leaving for the office, and the cloud bubble seems to be significant and prominent throughout the day and duration of wear. The last of the Discovery Set that I have been waiting to test and looking forward to wearing. Very pleased with this one. The one I regard as my favorite of the six.....the one I will probably get a full bottle of :). Well, the one I got a full bottle of :)...with a sneaky, scary Count-Dracula laugh!

This quickly became one of my favorite fragrances I have smelled so far. Despite having so many in rotation, this is one I would take with me to the end of the earth as a "signature." Citrus, smoke, woods, sweetness, and of course, tea, all come together to create this unique, pleasant, versatile, masculine scent. To me, this fragrance can be pulled off in almost any scenario no matter the time or climate. It's almost perfect. Almost. The only problem I have with this is the performance. I'm only able to get maybe 4 hours of longevity, which is disappointing considering its price. I don't want an eternal performer, just something that can last for most of the work day at least. However, layering it with Paper by Commodity has given it a good boost, and I suspect similar fragrances can also do the trick. Still, I love this fragrance and I recommend everyone at least try it.

Woody, not sharp lemon spiced tea, a tinge of funk from the orris and ever so slightly sweet. I go 3 sprays, each side of my neck, once on my chest and managed to pull off around 6hrs and then the following 2hrs of being skin scent. Pretty damn good for a tea based fragrance. The scent is good enough to have people asking you what you're wearing, it's non offensive, office friendly and can definitely be worn year round. I would go a spray lighter in the summer, 3-4 sprays during fall and winter. I think I'll save this fragrance for fall, although I can see myself wearing this at random Casual/business casual wear. You might be able to wear it dressed up. Reaches just under an arms length but the scent trail is divine. *Signature scent worthy* - if you can spend $175 on a 50ml bottle. SAMPLE IF YOU CAN.

Upon first spray it's sweet, spicy and sexy, but not in a way that screams "I'm trying to get chose". It grabs your interest and draws you in. Then once the middle notes settle in, it's almost as if the Rooibos tea has steeped and you get a sweet and calming effect. The orris root gives it a little bit of a powdery feel and softens it up a bit. The dry down maintains the Rooibos tea while introducing the cedar and Tonka bean, and it's just so sweet and intriguing, again without trying too hard. I chose this as my signature fragrance because it's very versatile (can wear this on first dates, in the office, running errands), it has a unique main note, and I feel like very representative of my style and personality. I would recommend this to anybody to at least try out. 8.5/10

I'm taken by this fragrance to the extent that I can't accurately describe what I'm feeling or smelling. I need to sit with it for a while and hope that the right words come. For now, I'll just say that I am pleasantly at a loss for words. Must be love 🩷 Update: This fragrance was at first difficult for me to explain due to its complexity. It's a masterful blend of accords that I wouldn't be drawn to on paper, but come together so well. I get a soft hint of dry wood, blended with a prominent but perfectly done warm spice. Smokiness lingers subtly in the background. And all these accords are carried on something that my nose percieves as aldehydic. The soapiness of this puts A.R. in a spicy clean category. I think this is squarely unisex. What a beautiful wear.

I was pretty devastated when Bvlgari Au Thé Rouge got discontinued; it was my top 5 favorite perfume of all time. In comes African Rooibos, thank you to, the very handsome, Chris Collins for making this perfume. I used to douse myself in Bvlgari Au Thé Rouge 5-8 sprays; with African Rooibos 1-2 sprays is enough to last through out the day. It is spicier on the cardamom and I can see it more masculine leaning and maybe a tad heavy for the warmer weather; whereas Au Thé Rouge would be wearable in the warmer weather and more unisex. It's like Gris Charnel + Au Thé Rouge had a baby; with the baby looking more like Au Thé Rouge. Ultimately, it smells like the calming woodsy Rooibos tea and that is what I am after.

This ish right here??? Ha! Chris Collins....well, well, well. Just when I thought fragrance had stopped surprising me this one did! I've smelled the gourmands, the fougeres, the chypres, aromatics, aquatics, the weird, the metallic, the stank l, the dank and everything in between. Rarely do I come across a scent and say, well don't you smell unique. Then, Chris did this! Smells just like the tea by the way but when has anyone ever smelled this as a fragrance? Huh? When have you?? Gorgeous bottle and presentation decent price of $175 for 50ml. Lasts all day, unique, year-round wearability puts this in a class of its own. This just may be the best scent in this house! Love it!!!!

Smells like a cigar shop in the best way possible as a good rooibos perfume should. The top notes give a more refined liquor scent to it, but once the middle notes of rooibos and the base notes of tonka bean, and immortelle take over and give this wonderful complex tobacco scent that's layered in many different ways without any of that questionable smoked tobacco scent. That's why I would say it's like a cigar shop, in that you can smell so many differently cured tobaccos mixing together at once, and this gives off that exact same experience. Incredibly masculine, strong in silage and longevity, one of my favorites I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

My GOD..... I have no words to describe how beautiful this fragrance is honestly. I was so afraid at first when I got the sample for this that the Tea note would fade into the background and would just be another Cardamom and Orris scent; but WOAH. The Tea note stays on throughout damn near the entirety of the fragrance on my skin at least until the drydown. After that, it becomes this beautiful, tonka and orris creamy scent that makes my mouth water. At this point I don't even know if Imagination could beat this one out for the favorite Tea scent of mine, and I NEED a bottle of this for the winter this year or I'm going to lose my shit. 100/10.

I blind bought this because I love tea fragrances and thought I was getting another typical tea fragrance. I couldn't have been more wrong in the best way possible. This was instantly one of the most beautiful fragrances I have ever smelled. That spicy kick with the rooibos tea is like nothing else in my collection. What a powerful, and elegant, masculine scent. If I had to compare it to anything else I've smelled I pick up a slight resemblance to gris charnel extrait but still not the same. I think this is even better. Not terribly priced and good deals can be found but a great fragrance for any man's collecting. Highly recommend!

This fragrance was on my wishlist for a while. On first spray, it is smoky and spicy from the pepper and cardamom, with some lift from the bergamot. As it dries, the rooibos begins to tone down the harshness of the spices, and the tonka and immortelle bring out its inherent vanillic quality with a touch of sweetness (but this is not a Sweet frag to me, it is not a milky or gourmand tea by any means). The cedar rounds everything out with a beautiful woodiness. Very gorgeous and unique, can be worn year round but is especially warm and comforting in the cold months. Projection is moderate, longevity is good but not amazing.

Trust me you’ll smell unique! It’s hard for anyone to compare your smell with any other smell. It’s hard to really describe especially for people who don’t know much about perfumes. It’s really good and unique. I was gifted this and at first I was like I’ve never heard of this brand but God! The smell was good. The packaging was so good as well. The fact that almost every hour you get to perceive a different note is just something else. The longevity both on skin and clothes is really good. I don’t advice layering this perfume with anything. It’s already so good on it’s own. If you’re looking to standout, go for this!

Love at first sniff. Smoky spicy woody tea scents are just so warming, grounding, and very me. On my skin this is mostly a bold balance of spicy sweet aromatic cardamom and warm buttery orris, with bright bergamot and pepper in the opening. I tested this at Ministry of Scent among several other things, and this was easily the stand out of the day - I could not stop coming back for more! I can see why folks generally perceive this to be more masculine, but at least for me it's very unisex and can easily be worn by a self-assured woman. This has a quiet confidence and intrigue that is extremely appealing to me.