Cistus vs heather
Two resinous scrubland plants with a tannic grip closer to young red wine than to a tisane. Both are gathered rather than farmed and both are better known for something other than drinking.
botanical
What is being compared
Point by point
| Aspect | Cistus | Heather |
|---|---|---|
| Where it grows | Mediterranean scrubland from Iberia to the Levant, on hot dry slopes. | Northern European moorland, a human-made landscape maintained by burning and grazing. |
| What it is better known for | Labdanum resin, combed historically from the coats of goats that browsed the scrub. | Heather honey, which is famous, and heather ale, which predates hopped beer there. |
| Flavour | Strongly tannic and resinous with an amber sweetness on the nose the cup does not deliver. | Dry, faintly honeyed and quite tannic, with a resinous moorland note. |
| Preparation | Long steeps at a heavy dose turn it genuinely unpleasant; moderate both. | Wants a long steep, and holds up to it better than cistus does. |
| Variation | Several Cistus species are gathered together and resin content varies with heat and season. | Bell heather and cross-leaved heath are gathered alongside Calluna, which is normal. |
The short answer
Both are for someone who likes tannin. Neither tastes of the honey or the amber their reputations promise, and both are gathered products with no commercial grading to rely on.
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