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Put the kettle on: 10 best fruit and herbal teas

Fancy a different take on the cup that cheers? We've sampled inventive and thirst-quenching fruit and herbal teas to find the best in the supermarkets and online

John Clarke

Sunday 26 January 2014 07:00 GMT

There's nothing quite like a warming cuppa. And now, with so many innovative fruit, herbal - and floral - varieties out there, perhaps it's time to branch out from your usual brew.

We've tried and tested a range to find the most tasty, refreshing and interesting cups available, from the luxury Teapigs Super Fruit to the South American import Ché Green Mate.

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10 best fruit and herbal teas

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1/1010 best fruit and herbal teas

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Eros White Tea, Elderflower & Apricot

A subtle blend of flavours with the apricot adding a fruity high note to the underlying smoothness of the elderflower and the delicate, white tea base. A good midday pick-me-up. £2.50 for 20 bags, peros-shop.co.uk

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Teapigs Super Fruit

Whole blueberries and cranberries in a swish, silky tea bag go into this infusion, producing a sweet, almost caramel-like aroma and flavour that’s not too saccharin or sickly. The adventurous can try it with a dash of cream. £4.15 for 15 bags, teapigs.co.uk

10 best fruit and herbal teas

English Tea Shop Green Tea Pomegranate

If you’re not sold on green tea, then this could be a good compromise; infused with zesty pomegranate and aromatic, sweet rose petals, it’s refreshing, with a fruity sweetness and slightly sharp aftertaste. One that will give you a kickstart in the morning. £4.29 for 100g, amazon.co.uk

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Jing Whole Rosebuds

Not as strange as it may sound. These are loose, whole small rosebuds grown in Iran, and the taste is fragrant rather than overly floral. You bung a tablespoonful of the rosebuds in the pot, add boiling water and wait three minutes or so for a summery treat on a dark winter’s day. £2.40 for 10g bag (10 cups), jing.com

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Ché Green Maté Tea

A popular South American shrub that’s a member of the holly family, this produces a beverage that has an earthy, almost farmyard-like nose and a slightly bittersweet taste. It’s a rich source of minerals, but could take some getting used to. £2.95 for 20 bags, homeherbs.co.uk

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Clipper Orange & Coconut

A combination that works well, with the smoothness of the coconut cancelling out the sharp notes of the orange, but leaving welcoming citrussy overtones. A good summery morning tea to go with your cornflakes. £3.71 for 20 bags, clipperteashop.com

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Twinings Double Mint Sensation

Wow. This should knock your socks off on a frosty day. The peppermint leaf is strong enough, but it’s the mint oil that delivers the knockout blow. Imagine a tube of Polo mints in liquid form and you’d be getting close. £2.29 for 20 bags, twinings.co.uk

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Adagio Fruit Sangria

A loose and colourful cocktail of hibiscus, apples, rosehips, orange peels, sunflower petals, lemon grass and fruit flavouring that’s not as overpowering as you might think. A tablespoonful produces a rich, dark red infusion that’s naturallysweet, with a slightly zesty and exotic feel. £6 for 112g tin (50 cups), adagio.uk.com

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Whittard Lemon, Ginger & Echinacea

We haven’t had the big freeze yet, but when we do this is what you want. A rather complex combination of flavours here with the lemon base notes being ably supported by the warming but not too strident ginger and the floral hints from the echinacea. A lovely warming cup. £3.95 for 20 bags, whittard.co.uk

10 best fruit and herbal teas

Tregothnan Nettle Tea

There’s no sting in this Cornishgrown nettle tea. The taste isn’t dissimilar to traditional green tea, though it packs a bit more of a punch, with just a hint of natural sweetness. Known for its detoxifying properties, a cup of this at least feels like a cleansing way to start the day. £3.50 for 10 bags, edenproject.com/shop

Verdict:

For a morning cup with a difference, we like the zesty take on the Japanese staple that is English Tea Shop Green Tea Pomegranate. At midday, we'd plump for the delicate and subtle Eros White Tea Elderflower & Apricot. For an afternoon pick-me-up, Twinings Double Mint Sensation has a serious kick.

Buy now

1. Eros White Tea, Elderflower & Apricot, £2.50 for 20 bags

2. Teapigs Super Fruit, £4.15 for 15 bags

3. English Tea Shop Green Tea Pomegranate, £4.29 for 100g

4. Jing Whole Rosebuds, £2.40 for 10g bag (10 cups)

5. Ché Green Maté Tea, £2.95 for 20 bags

6. Clipper Orange & Coconut, £3.71 for 20 bags

7. Twinings Double Mint Sensation, £2.29 for 20 bags

8. Adagio Fruit Sangria, £6 for 112g tin (50 cups)

9. Whittard Lemon, Ginger & Echinacea, £3.95 for 20 bags

10. Tregothnan Nettle Tea, £3.50 for 10 bags