Wow… can I say WOW?
This tea rolls out of its black glittering bag already speaking a mouthful. Its pleasantly dark, like a rich fragrance you only dream of finding at the Guerlian counter. I dare to say that this might be a By Kilian fragrance without the lock and key.
It’s plummy, boozy, wonderfully vanillic and a polite black tea. To brew this beauty, they say let it go for 5 minutes and I probably did four on the first steep. In the cup the fragrance was just as divine as what wafted from the sack. The plummy note was a bit more pronounced. On the second steep I let it go and got lazy with its rest. The booziness has faded but the plum is there with a distinct sharpness. Perhaps it isn’t meant to be left alone so long or treated like a left-over?
As for taste… well it’s fine without sugars, milk or cream. It isn’t a fruity flavor in the sense that you recover from the first sip thinking, “Wow blackberry jam.” It’s subtle, elegant, vanilla black tea with the moodiness of a distant plum-berry that at some point snuggled with a soft tobacco or was blessed by fine leather. A fabulous afternoon tea that would make any repast a seduction of the senses.
How it relates to my views on the The de Paques by Mariage Freres: While my The de Paques is assured a prominent place in the teas of my desires (and I crave it often), it is the tea of morning and all things bright. I could dress it up with fruit, delicate cakes and even a ham and brie. Jamaique takes thought and provides mouthwatering contemplation yet not in the way of a zen-Buddha green, think old refined library, deep curtains and soft leather chairs… I swear, I could wear this tea.
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What a lovely, lovely review. Thank you for that.
Alicia, I would love to know what your favorite teas are. It sounds like you know what you are talking about.
Sadly, I just started down the tea road again. Mariage Freres was the brand that caught my eye and I am in love. I have a collection of Kusmi teas I started with but so far none of them has grabbed me as passionately as Jamaique or The de Paques. I those two found me actually.
Kusmi Violet is soothing and has a wonderful violet taste/smell I adore. The Green Tea with Almond smells lovely but is so so. Not a bad tea but my tastes are venturing in a different direction. I want something more aggressive perhaps? I am a coffee drinker so perhaps that makes me biased?
I do have a collection of flowering teas both by Mariage Freres and the Republic of Tea. Mariage Freres makes this flowering jasmine number that is as fine as perfume! A quick steep and the liquid is pure heaven but don’t let that little flower sit! She gets angry and bitter… change her bath water often and enjoy it! LOL They are more fun to watch than anything and I think I am fonder of Black teas because I trouble them with milk.
However, I am guilty of loving some good old Lipton Sun Tea. I can’t recall a single memory I don’t enjoy on the farm growing up that didn’t cameo an old pickle jar filled with sun tea.
Alicia,
You are so cool:) Let me ask you a question the flowering jasmine teas my Mariage Freres that you like are which ones? I love flowering tea and jasmine is my favorite. Silver Needle Jasmine by Rishi is awesome.
Bourgeon de Thé au Jasmin by Mariage Freres is the packet that I have open just now. I have Fleur de Voyage but haven’t tried them as of yet.
What a lovely, lovely review. Thank you for that.
Alicia, I would love to know what your favorite teas are. It sounds like you know what you are talking about.
Sadly, I just started down the tea road again. Mariage Freres was the brand that caught my eye and I am in love. I have a collection of Kusmi teas I started with but so far none of them has grabbed me as passionately as Jamaique or The de Paques. I those two found me actually.
Kusmi Violet is soothing and has a wonderful violet taste/smell I adore. The Green Tea with Almond smells lovely but is so so. Not a bad tea but my tastes are venturing in a different direction. I want something more aggressive perhaps? I am a coffee drinker so perhaps that makes me biased?
I do have a collection of flowering teas both by Mariage Freres and the Republic of Tea. Mariage Freres makes this flowering jasmine number that is as fine as perfume! A quick steep and the liquid is pure heaven but don’t let that little flower sit! She gets angry and bitter… change her bath water often and enjoy it! LOL They are more fun to watch than anything and I think I am fonder of Black teas because I trouble them with milk.
However, I am guilty of loving some good old Lipton Sun Tea. I can’t recall a single memory I don’t enjoy on the farm growing up that didn’t cameo an old pickle jar filled with sun tea.
Alicia,
You are so cool:) Let me ask you a question the flowering jasmine teas my Mariage Freres that you like are which ones? I love flowering tea and jasmine is my favorite. Silver Needle Jasmine by Rishi is awesome.
Bourgeon de Thé au Jasmin by Mariage Freres is the packet that I have open just now. I have Fleur de Voyage but haven’t tried them as of yet.