Doulton

Fall In Love (rooibos) from Mariage Frères

Doulton drank Fall In Love (rooibos) by Mariage Frères

Thank you so much to Auggy who sent me this after I begged and beseeched.
I’ve got a theory about this tea. My theory is that a shipment of Marco Polo was making a grand voyage around the world on the a tea vessal as elegant and sumptous as the Queen Mary 2 ocean line. Only the best for Mariage Frère’s Marco Polo. The ship washed ashore near Cape Town, South Africa and poor Marco Polo had a bad concussion and wandered the streets in a fugue state. Then a Rooibos Ruffian came along in a dark alley and took advantage of Marco Polo.

Thus was born “Fall in Love”. I taste the same berry notes as Marco Polo, but this love child has those crude Rooibos elements that I don’t like very much.
If anyone can spin gold out of a rooibos, it is Mariage Frères, and if I had to drink this again, I would not complain. But I will not buy it.

It’s me, honey, not you….

2010-04-05 21:12:23 -0400

185 °F / 85 °C

6 min 45 sec

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__Morgana__ 2010-04-06 00:06:27 -0400

I couldn’t find anywhere to order this. None of the three places online I looked had it (the unintelligible Mariage Freres web site may have, but I got frustrated and gave up). Hmmm….

Doulton 2010-04-06 00:52:50 -0400

I got this in a swap from generous Auggy and I do not know where she got it. I do believe that they have this mix in black and green as well. It might be a decent black tea.

Dan 2010-04-06 09:28:54 -0400

Williams-Sonoma carry it where I live in Maine and Dean and Duluca is the only place I could find it online.

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I really love big, bold, brash teas. Smokiness enthralls me. I don’t seem to do subtle.
I don’t do rooibos.

My rating system:
0-30:
Never again in a hundred million years

31-55: This tea probably has some redeeming qualities but I won’t would not seek it out again.

56-70:
Shows some promise but also has a fundamental flaw. I probably owe these a second taste but am unmotivated.

71-80:
Good with at least one strong quality; I probably would not buy it but would drink it cheerfully.

81-90: Worthy contenders; they might be ranked 100 on somebody’s else’s scale. I like them a lot but have not fallen in love. Will probably buy and use.

91-95: These are the true loves, the chosen ones, the ones I dream about and crave. Unless they are in a limited edition—la! how you tease me!—I will always keep in my cupboard.

96-100: I cannot be separated from these teas and would develop a panic attack if I were to run out.

“She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain.”

Elderly dowager. Quintessential cat lady.

Tea which must be in stock always:

Black Dragon LS by Upton Teas: My choice every morning.

Florence & Lapsang Souchong by Harney & Sons

a good Gen Maicha

Samovar: Russian Blend, Maiden’s Ecstasy, Ryokucha

Mariage Frères: Confucious, Vivaldi, Eros, Aida, Marco Polo

American Tea Room: Brioche

Leland Teas: Bogart

Life in Teacup:
An Xi Tie Guan Yin Grade II modern green style & also Charcoal Style