I have a few things to say right off the bat.
1. The French really know how to do their teas. One of the things I appreciate so much about Mariage frères is the fact that you need not have a highly developed, snobby, or sophisticated palate to enjoy their tea. It is true that some French teas are flavoured more delicately than others, although I would still say that on the whole, most flavours are quite prominent, and if the flavouring is delicate, it still manages to have a refined sort of elegance or smoothness that is undeniable, even to a barbarian of a tea drinker.
2. This is a very, very good tea. It’s a back log because I had it after work yesterday (and then followed it up with, um, quite a bit of wine), so I’m going based on memory. I’ve actually had this tea (along with a few other MF teas) sitting around in my cupboard since September, because a friend went to England and very kindly braved Selfridges in order to procure me my tea. I was packaging some up to send off to Courtney and decided that I really need not put it off any longer.
3. This tea tastes like sweet, spiced almonds. Not candied, necessarily, because I certainly was not picking up on any sort of marzipan or amaretto-type dessert, and I wouldn’t even call this a dessert tea. And oh my god does the spiced almond pair so effortlessly with the base. what an exquisite tea. And a good thing, given that you can’t get it in quantities smaller than 100 g (at least not at Selfridges).
And omg. It paired so unbelievably well with my frosted banana pudding sugar cookie. Thanks, roswell strange, for introducing me to this very delicious (and incredibly simple!) recipe.
‘Barbarian of a tea drinker’—Ha! LOL
haha.
Lovely review. :D
Thanks! It is also a very lovely tea.