We don't know when or if this item will be available.
“I figured something out while sipping on this tea: Mariage Freres and Kusmi have very similar tea styles. (Is this a big ole ‘duh’ to everyone but me?) Both have flavorings typically on the more...” Read full tasting note
“Well, yes and while I have had it before it does taste better on Easter day. Happy Easter to all. The tea itself is very MF, very refined. A hint of bergamot, almond ( the longer you steep it the...” Read full tasting note
“I was a little worried seeing the ratings of this tea but really wanted to try by myself too. This is clearly a mild tea base, but not weak. Inversely, the aromas are strong and especially on...” Read full tasting note
“This tea is good. It’s soothing. Yet it does not “pop” in my mouth with the excitement that a Mariage Freres tea typically manages. According to the web site, “Easter bells are ringing in a...” Read full tasting note
‘Easter Tea’ is a wonderful blend honouring the holiday spirit. Mariage Frères created this special tea by blending subtle fragrances of citrus and other fruits with a distinguished note of noble spices, evoking the taste of crème brûlée. Perfect harmony.
Le thé de Pâques est un majestueux mélange imaginé dans l’esprit de cette grande fête, célébration gourmande et raffinée. Mariage Frères a créé ce merveilleux thé pour cette occasion en associant de subtils parfums de fruits et d’agrumes à une note distinguée d’épices nobles. Il évoque le goût de la fameuse “crème brûlée”. Une absolue harmonie.
Type of tea: Black Tea
Time to enjoy: Afternoon
Origin: Other Countries
Main flavour: Vanilla
PREPARATION ADVICE FOR 1 CUP :
Amount of tea leaves: 2.5g
Best water temperature: 95 °C
Infusion time: 3-5 min.
Company description not available.
I figured something out while sipping on this tea: Mariage Freres and Kusmi have very similar tea styles. (Is this a big ole ‘duh’ to everyone but me?) Both have flavorings typically on the more subtle end and that flavor tends to hit most in the smell and then the endnote of each sip. But I think there are two main differences between them for me: Kusmi flavorings, while more subtle than a lot of flavored teas out there, do seem to be a bit stronger than most Mariage Freres teas. And the tea taste that hits towards the front of each sip (where the flavoring is tasted least) is milder and not as decadent feeling in Mariage Freres as they are in the Kusmi teas.
The smell of this tea is lovely – sweet and creamy with a little caramelized something to it. The tasting notes say crème brûlée and I’m not sure I would have gone there on my own, but yeah, I can see that, though there seems to be an additional note of candy-like sweetness in the smell that keeps me from saying “But of course it is!”. Perhaps it because I knew this tea was called “Easter”, but that sweet sugary smell/taste made me think a bit of Easter candies (in a good way). The taste is much milder with the flavors really only coming through in the end. They are quite nice but I think I would have liked it to be slightly more intense. Or for the tea taste to be richer as it felt just a hair thin and not quite as smooth as the tea taste in Troika yesterday. All in all a tasty tea but one that I want to just turn up the volume on just a hair.
ETA: For the second steep I really increased the time – 6 minutes – and added a tiny splash of half & half. Now I’m getting a nice level of flavor. It’s very sweet and Easter-candy-like with lots of vanilla. The tea flavor isn’t as silky as Kusmi seems to be but it doesn’t feel as thin as before. I’m adjusting my rating because I quite like this now. I just have to remember to go for the long steep time.
Well, yes and while I have had it before it does taste better on Easter day.
Happy Easter to all.
The tea itself is very MF, very refined. A hint of bergamot, almond ( the longer you steep it the strongest the note is), something floral, something spicy. Very lovely tea to share a pot on a spring holiday.
Happy Easter!
Thank you! and to you too.
Happy Easter to you Cteresa!! (O:3
(turn your head sideways lol)
did you have it in the beautiful canister ?
Nooo, I bought it loose by weight though it ended up in a old tea tin for another MF tin ( I steamed it and let it breathe to take the scent out, think it works). The beautiful beautiful cannisters are even pricier here than in France, I always go for loose tea or plain tins if worthwhile. I figure one beautiful cannister is the price of 2 plain ones or 4 different 100 grams (or 8 different 50 grams), I have never quite justified it to myself. Not for my own use!
Though I have sort of fallen in love with this TWG tea which cames in awesome cannisters and I might not have any alternative but buy it ;)
I thought thé de Pâques was only sold in the canister because it was a special edition but that’s good news if we can buy loose leaf ! I was “obliged” to buy a Full moon party canister because I absolutely wanted to taste this tea and it is only available with the canister…22 € for 100 grams… expensive …thanks God I liked it :)
There was a tea shop which had some, though I think it was from 2010 or even older ( I got it in 2011 anyway). They also have a few I have not found elsewhere, Chandernagor for example – I got to go back and try that one.
Full Moon sounds lovely indeed! I love the pretty cannisters (oh the ice tea glass ones), it´s just that the prices get to be a bit ridiculous.
I was a little worried seeing the ratings of this tea but really wanted to try by myself too.
This is clearly a mild tea base, but not weak. Inversely, the aromas are strong and especially on citrus. There is a kind of je ne sais quoi really joyful with the citrus here.
The vanilla adds something very interesting to the blend.
Saying that where is the crème brûlée promised by MF ? in the air I would say, like a spirit, an inspiration : there but not really too…
I really like Thé de Pâques and I’m happy to have bought 100g today.
It smells like a mystery blend to me…blended by the Easter rabbit ? arrived with Rome’s bells ? I just surrender to the fantastic aromas especially due to the fantastic way the citrus come with vanilla.
This tea is good. It’s soothing. Yet it does not “pop” in my mouth with the excitement that a Mariage Freres tea typically manages.
According to the web site,
“Easter bells are ringing in a gourmet treat: the flavour of a black tea scented with fruits and citrus, spiked with notes of noble spices and sweet overtones for a heavenly delight.”
I expect a superb experience from Mariage Frères and I would give this tea a second chance. I may try to find it new and see if it gives me that Blair-Waldorf-on-“Gossip Girl” sense of privilege.
I hope to lay hands on some more of this tea and return to give a revised report.
Hahahaha! Amazing description! I hate it when you don’t know if your tea is old or not. The horrors!
LOL…great post! I often wonder how long the tea I receive in swaps has been on a shelf getting dusty. Nice to know I’m not alone!
LOL at the Blair Waldorf reference…
Got a sample of this from the fabulous Lena, and was really excited about it, since it was a Mariage Freres tea. I like Marco Polo, and wanted to give more of their teas a try.
I didn’t get quite the flavor hit out of this tea that I did Marco Polo. I tried it with and without a milk additive, and it just didn’t do it for me. It was a good flavor, and a nice tea, but not something I’d seek out, or spend money on.
And another cup from the Traveling Tea Box. An “Easter tea” for Easter morning!
Again, I didn’t know what to expect, but I really like Mariage Freres, so I had gotten a sample. And it was fabulous! This actually reminded me a lot of Mighty Leaf’s Orange Dulce, but instead of the tea being overpowered by the flavoring, the tea stood alone and the flavor was much more subtle. Very good tea!
This is the star of my collection just now… aside from Violet. The aroma from the can is enticing and when brewed even better. There is a wonderful orange flavor seduced with vanilla that makes the liquor heavenly. Love love love it with milk and honey but it’s probably perfect sipped en seulement.
You are on target about Kusmi and MF being similar….
Yay! Glad I’m not nuts. :) I have a feeling I should have made the connection before but at least I finally made it!
maybe it’s a french thing`?
I think Angrboda’s right, it may be a French thing as I noticed a similarity between Mariage Freres, Dammann Freres and The O Dor teas. Haven’t tried the Kusmi in my cupboard yet but that would be my guess.
Thanks for comparing MF and Kusmi! I’m intrigued by both of these brands.
I’ll pipe in to say that I also think it’s a French thing. The French teas seem to do the elegant and subtle whilst using many ingredients thing so well :) It is kind of like their perfumes and cuisine and even clothing (understated, elegant yet tons of tailoring. Accessories make the statement ;)
Yep, I’m attributing it to their Frenchness, as well. I haven’t gotten a chance to try Dammann Freres or The O Dor, but hopefully one day because I do like the milder flavoring style.
Stephanie, I’ve enjoyed Kusmi for the most part (the Bouquet of Flowers 108 or whatever was not happy). But I have been nicely surprised by their teas!
hope you do not mind my 2 cents, yeah I agree there is a French style for tea – as opposed to a British one, and even a German (the big gross retailers) type. But you do intrigue me with the comparison between Kusmi and MF, my experience so far is sort of the opposite. You give me hope I am just trying the wrong ones, I must keep trying more Kusmi teas though.
To my opinion Kusmi is really really behind MF in terms of quality. With kusmi the taste always seemed to me milder than in the MF ones and I should say sometimes really weak regarding the dry leave scent promises.