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Anna drank La Poire (Pear) by Palais des Thés

303 tasting notes

Lupicia’s fruity teas tend to be the standard by which I measure all others – I love their strong scents and sweet, juicy flavours – and most of all the fact that said scents and flavours hardly ever hit artificial notes. They’re such happy, friendly teas.

Sometimes, however, I want a tea that is somewhat more subdued in the flavour department, with a high-quality green base and a mellower fruit note. In terms of vanilla, Le Palais des Thés managed to maintain this balance very nicely in their Thé vert à la vanille, and I was excited to see how La Poire would fare.

In the bag, the pear is a perfect, natural pear, with a strong presence of green leaf – I found myself enjoying how intricately the two intermingle, to the extent that the usual three-sniff approach turned into more of a tensniffer.

In the cup, it’s equally satisfying. It’s a beautiful green laced with pear – the fruit is neither omnipresent nor static, bur rather surprises you at each sip; sometimes fully there, sometimes more elusive.

Like in the case of Kusmi’s lemon-ginger, I will remain on the lookout, but until I find the pear tea that renders all others obsolete, this will be my staple.

[Purchased at Le Palais des Thés in Tel Aviv, June 2013.]

Preparation

185 °F / 85 °C 1 min, 30 sec

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I’m going to try all the teas.

Then I will choose a lucky few perfect specimens, and we will live happily together in my tea cupboard.

Forever.

* *

2015

This will be a year of in-betweenness and logistics. Where to put the teas. How to arrange the teas. Which teas to replenish – which ones to say goodbye to.

Still doing Project Green.
Still doing Project Jasmine.
Still doing Project Peach.

Dr. Tea is the name, I’m ahead of my game
still, steeping my leafs, still f*ck with the temps
still not loving Assam (uh-huh)
still rock my Bosch kettle with its high-pitched shriek
still got love for the greens, repping Lupicia
still the cup steams, still doing my thang
since I left, ain’t too much changed, still

(With apologies to Mr. Young.)

2014

This year, all bets are off. I am going to drink both peppermint and chamomile and possibly suffer a little. But it’s okay – it’s for science.

I’m doing Project Jasmine, Project Peach and Project Unflavoured Green.

In terms of flavoured teas, Lupicia and Mariage Frères have become my massive favourites, and I have learned that Dammann Frères/Fauchon/Hédiard and Butiki aren’t really for me.

The O Dor, Adagio and Comptoir des thés et des épices are all on this year’s I’d like to get to know you better list.

2013

Getting back into tea drinking last fall, I was all about rooibos. This past spring has been all green tea, all the time, with some white additions over the summer. Currently attempting a slow, autumnal graduation to black teas. Oolongs are always appropriate.

The constant for me, flavour wise, is the strong presence of fruity and floral notes. Vanilla is lush, as long as it’s not artificial. Peach, berries, mango. Cornflower, rose, lavender.

No peppermint.

No chamomile.

No cinnamon.

Ever.

* *

My ratings don’t reflect the ‘What does this tea do for me?’ standard, but rather my own ‘What would I do for this tea?’ scale.

100-90
My absolute favourites. Teas I would travel for – or, in any case, pay exuberant postage for, because they simply have to be in my cupboard. Generally multi-faceted teas with complex scents and flavours. Teas with personality. Tricky teas.

89-80
Teas I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again if and when I came across them. Tea purchases I would surreptitiously weave into a travel itinerary (Oh! A Lupicia store! Here?! My word!).

79-70
Teas I enjoyed, but don’t necessarily need to make any kind of effort to buy again.

69-0
Varying degrees of disinterest and contempt.