Mariage Frères

Well this was an unexpected dud, but one which made me realize something about the peculiarities of my personal likes and dislikes.

I love rooibos, but I am very picky about rooibos – the base has to have certain characteristics. Some rooibos bases I dislike, seem musty or woody or even silty to me. But when rooibos is good, I do love it and it´s an extremely comforting evening drink. It´s far more difficult to me to find good rooibos than good tea, I got 3 (plus one south african supermarket brand which is an occasional random find) brands whose rooibos blends seem great to me – apart from those ocasional finds which seem good, but many others I do not even come close to finishing.

Mariage Fréres is one of my reliable rooibos brands, and wanting to try something new, the saleslady recommend this as her personal favorite. It smelled different, so minty, I decided to give it a (small) try. It´s rooibos with a lot of dried mint and rose petals, not sure if it has extra flavourings.

And the problem is with the flavouring – this made me realize I dislike dried mint leaves steeped in boiling water. I love fresh mint, I like mint in green teas (which do not steep in water so hot), but plain mint tisanes, noooo. Mint and boiling water, it is like the mint leaves this oily hint of bitterness which I dislike. And that was the problem here – I used boiling water and the mint had that oily boiled-mint thing and that was indeed a problem for me. Now I do not know what to do with is, I like rooibos very hot and very long, but if I do that the mint is going to annoy me. Will try again with water a bit colder, to see if there is rescue to this.

TLDR: Mint and boiling water: no-no. Mint only for lower temperature teas.

PS – also not a good rooibos for my late at night rooibos since I leave the spent leaves on the gravity infuser overnight. I never had a problem with smells (apart from the time I tried something with another variety of mint), but there is a definite minty overtone in the strainer now. This really is not a rooibos for me.

360ml of water at 195F
1 heaping tablespoon of tea
Steep for 4 minutes
1/4 teaspoon of highly refined sugar

It’s described as a Namring Poomong Upper, but with the DJ2 designation, and an SFTGFOP1 ranking, it is classified as a different Spring Flush Namring tea at Mariage Freres. Yet the similarities are there coming from the same estate, same flush, same year. However, this tea is not as good as the Spring Flush Namring was last year.

The taste is very light and I tried bringing out more of the flavor by adding more tea leaves. The taste became sronger but did not necessarily heighten the flavor of the tea. The Namring last year had a refreshing floral note while retaining all of the flavor of an exceptional Darjeeling. It had great body as well. The 2013 Namring has less flavor, does not have the floral notes, has more of an earthly quality to it, and is flat in taste.

I really wanted to like this tea and it is still a good Darjeeling, but it misses the mark of the stellar Darjeelings Mariage has released in previous years.

Thanks Ysaurella for sending me this lovely green tea!

The dry leaves are so wonderfully fragrant… sweet-smelling like potpourri. Some people may be put off by the strong perfume, but that’s exactly what I like about MF’s flavoured teas. :) When brewed the beautiful fragrance is fully translated into fruity and flowery flavours in the liquor. I can’t tell the kind of fruits or flowers they use though… MF wants to keep the formula “mysterious”, apparently. The green tea base is great too. It is very delicate, not too grassy, and it has a sweet finish. It can get a bit bitter when it cools so I would really recommend drinking it hot.

I’ve just realized that this is my first green MF tea… and I am loving it :)

this is another backlog from yesterday. A tea my dad purchased in Paris that i forced him to open and consume because otherwise it would still be sitting there the next time i came to visit, unopened. So i brewed a cup of this for him to try and let mom have a sip…who exclaimed she wanted a cup, so i gave her the cup i was making for myself (resteep) and warned her it would be a little different tasting. Went back to resteep it again for myself, at which point my dad came back in the the garden to announce that i should make him another cup for dinner…so i gave him my other resteep…

Yeah…we steeped this 4 times and i took the last steep so my parents could enjoy the “better” steeps. I also used this tea to show my parents that you CAN resteep some of the teas that dad has purchased without losing too much flavour.

Did i mention that this tea is EIGHTY FIVE EUROS for 100 grams… yeah. I think this is officially the most expensive tea that i’ve had to date. Now, those who know me, know that white teas are generally not my thing. However this tea was pretty darn delicious. I’m sort of hoping that dad decides he doesn’t like it and sends the rest to me later, though that’s not likely to be the case given how fast he drank his two cups.

This tea is light and refreshing and totally not floral. It really does have notes of honey and vanilla in it. The liquor is a beautiful pale golden yellow colour that faded to a dull yellow. I wish i could tell you more, but i didn’t get a chance to jot down too many notes, since my parents kept wanting me to make more heh. If i get the chance to go back and have more, I will write a better note. Promise.

Sipdown!
I will have finished this off today, it’s been a long time coming. This says it’s a blend of first flush teas but I always thought it was a second flush blend, oh well. It’s been a nice blend but I don’t think I will miss it too much. It’s good with a touch of sugar too.

Sipdown, 165. Cold brew.

Let me tell you, this tea was freaking awesome cold brewed. Like, I want to buy a tin and keep it around just for cold brewing. Except that probably wouldn’t be very financially sound. It was so deliciously almondy, creamy, with light, juicy fruitiness. Here, it tasted like a macaron, delicious and sweet. If I was just rating the cold brew I would rate this into the 90s for sure.

Mmmmm another tea in the travel much yesterday. Mostly because this was a sipdown but I was fairly sure that my parents had managed to find more of this while in Paris. I was right – though the way my dad tells it, they had to go to 5 different shops and make the shop keepers dig through the back cupboards for it. But they succeeded. They picked up this one and wedding imperial for me, as well as a dragon well tea from another famous? Shop in Paris that specializes in Chinese tea. All I know currently is that it comes in the most interesting boxes and that I’d rather sneak my dads puerh and box lol but I 100% wil enjoy what they brought back. Dad also picked up mf’s most expensive? Or almost most expensive silver needle, which I haven’t yet tried :)

Another of the samples Ysaurella sent me – thank you again! Cara and I had this the other afternoon, but I had no chance to make a note then, so finished off the last of it in a small cup just for me. I think if this one had tasted as good as it smelled, I’d have been in trouble. I sniffed and pondered and sniffed some more, and finally came up with strawberries and cream with vanilla sugar. And some undefined but gentle floral note. Now, I haven’t eaten strawberries and cream for ages (although soya cream is a really good substitute these days), and have no idea if cream actually smells, but this is still what my sniffing was telling me. The cup itself didn’t have quite the same richness and depth of flavour, and again, my imperfect tasting gave me very slightly underripe strawberries, vanilla and again, that elusive light floral taste. (Is it the sunflowers? They sure look pretty, but even tasting one gave no clue as to whether or no they taste sweet. Yes, I do regularly taste the leaves after infusion!) Very nice, and the black & green tea base is very good – though I wouldn’t have got green myself, I don’t think. Perhaps if I hadn’t had Ysaurella’s careful preparation notes to hand I might have got the green in the bad way?

I’ve tried the Pleine Lune as well, but going to brew it up again for tasting note for that, but so far, I’m extremely happy that the Pouchkine has been the hit of the teas Ysaurella sent for me. This way, I know which Mariage Frères teas I want to get when I get to the London shop, but am not so smitten I have to pay MF shipping rates to Ireland Right. Now.

I’ve come to learn that I don’t care much for flavoured greens, but this is probably my favourite one. It’s also my favourite of the four mariage frères tins that I was gifted almost a year ago, and the only one I’d repurchase.

It drives me absolutely bonkers that I still don’t know what it’s scented with. That’s actually part of the reason I’ve taken so long to write a tasting note for it. I just end up frustrating myself with “mystery flavours” instead of enjoying the tea, which all of me agrees on being fruity sweet and mildly floral (isn’t that enough to know?).

The tea tastes light, smooth, and sweet, before an moderately astringent and tart finish- which makes me think citrus rind or seed. That smoothness reminds me of the best moments of a juicy orange, but I have a feeling that there is more than one fruit behind this cup. The lingering aftertaste is a gentle fruity sweetness.. like that of a ripe frozen persimmon!!! I tried frozen persimmons for the first time a week ago and I am almost positive that that is what I’m tasting. Sorry. Mid-tasting note epiphany. I’m so freaking excited; if I identified that right this tea puzzle would make a little more sense. Hopefully, that now familiar flavour sticks around in further sessions with this tea.

Backlog:

I selected this sample from Shmiracles as my after dinner tea with an episode of Merlin. I am surprised that there are so many just-average ratings for this tea. My only issue with it is that raspberry is my least favorite berry. Other than that, I think that this is an excellently blended tea. The flavors don’t taste too sweet or artificial and there is absolutely no questionable aftertaste (as I have found all too common with many flavored teas). This is like the tea version of a berry blend juice. If I liked raspberry more, I’d give it 100.

Backlog from yesterday.

I don’t think I know what a macaron. Is it the same as a macaroon? If so, then I don’t understand this tea at all. If its something different then, it may be ok. I’m not sure what I think of this tea. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it. I only steeped it for about 2 minutes and still was a tad bitter.

Thanks shmiracles!

No 11:
The dry leaf smells gently of mandarine & jasmine.
This was a pleasant cup, & I’ll probably give it another go before the box sets off to Canada.
NEXT!

Another tasty treat from shmiracles. I read the reviews ahead of time and was planning a 2.5 minute steep but I was 15 seconds late and this tea gets bitter fast! Luckily it wasn’t too bitter and the creamy chocolate and caramel still shine through. I really like this. I would really think about ordering more of this.

sipdown! thus beating my “goal” for this weekend of getting to 290. 289! and there’s still a few more hours left in the day….though maybe not too many since i am beat! release weekend = no sleep and we needed up having to roll back at the last minute so pretty much it was an all nighter for no reason. Now to see if we have to do it again in may or we bundle it into the june release. ugh.

final verdict no this tea? I’m not a fan. there’s a bitterness that i can’t seem to get rid of no matter how i steep it. It’s not a BAD tea but when i think about mousse au chocolat…there is no comparison for me! Still though, thanks so much shmiracles for this sample since i do love trying mariage teas! and even though it’s not the most amazing it was still a treat! :)

Another decadently exotic sample from Shmiracles.

I was pretty excited about this one. the leaves look and smell good enough to eat! The brewed cup isn’t quite so decadent (for me, anyway). It’s got a sort of tart or liquor-like flavor about it. The chocolate is there, but I’m not too fond of liquor flavor with occasional exceptions. I was hoping for more of a creamy backdrop for the chocolate.

But this really is all for the best. I still fear the day when I am tempted to spend more on shipping than on the tea in order to get it from afar!

Sipdown, 167.

When I started this note I was angry at having not gotten my car back from the mechanic even though he promised it to me today, but I just got a call and it’s done. This is especially important because I am driving it to DC tomorrow!

Anyway, this tea was made to soothe me… This time I made it strong with milk and sugar and it is deeeelish. So so chocolatey, and more mousse-like now. An indulgence, but a slightly less indulgent than actual chocolate mousse.

Thank you Shmiracles for this sample!

The dried leaves smell incredibly yummy. I checked on Steepster before I brewed it and took the advice to keep it short. I did 2min30sec.

I am picking up on the coconut flavor that one of you other reviewers mentioned too. I do absolutely love a good macaroon (and, incidentally, so does my siamese cat) or German chocolate cake, but I’ve never liked coconut in teas. It usually makes me feel sick. But this isn’t coconut though, now is it? It’s coconut-esqu minus the horrid after-taste that real coconut teas give me.

I do like it quite alright, but I’m not in love by any means. I’ve been pretty picky about dessert teas, so no surprise there. However, I like it a whole lot better than most of what I get from Della Terra. The sweetness of this one is not rediculously-over-the-top. Unfortunately, the coconut-like flavor, while not at all nauseating, is too reminiscent of the teas I don’t like and it is putting me off just a bit.

I’m afraid to try too many samples from exotic over-seas companies because i am afraid that I will love them and won’t be able to acquire them easily! I let my husband take a sip from my cup and he loved it. I told him, well, that’s too bad. (^o^)

I have the habit to drink the Dammann Frères Violette.
This one is just so different, incredible.
The DF Violette is more a candy Violette, the MF Violette is a flowery Violette.
That’s it ! I like both.
The tea base is really nice, smooth. The flavour is for sure floral and it just tastes like a violet. I get something additional, something like a hint of acidity, like a cloud of pure lemon juice- but I don’t think there is lemon, this is weird.

I like both blends but prefer the Dammann Frères one.

Let’s see how this one goes! Thanks again to Shmiracles for samples of these teas.

I was quite shocked by how many cocoa hulls are in this tea. I swear it is like half hulls and half black tea. As such, it smells soooo chocolatey dry, and also steeped. I steeped this one a bit cooler than I have previously with MF teas, hoping to combat any potential bitterness, although yes, I know, not all of their black bases are the same.

I seem to have a had some success! There is no doubting that this is chocolate! Quite a nice dark chocolate, and the base is smooth. There may be some tiny bitterness here, but it is like the bitterness of fine chocolate, like eating a really dark chocolate bar. Hmmm, I just got a sort of semisweet sip that was quite nice! This really is one of the most authentic chocolate-tasting teas I’ve tried, so major bonus points for that. Unfortunately for me, I’m not the biggest dark chocolate person. I know! I do enjoy it, but I also much prefer milk chocolate… I just don’t like bitter things, even bitter sweet. On the other hand, dark chocolate is better than no chocolate, so I am still enjoying this cup. Thanks again Shmiracles!

I am just coming back from the Mariage Frères shop Place de la Madeleine in Paris.
I needed to refill my box of Prince Igor …so bought 100gr BUT of course I cannot enter a MF shop without buying other teas…
I wanted to taste this one for ages so here it is !
I am terrible with vanilla : I had too much vanilla teas or ice creams made with a stupid artificial vanilla now I am suspicious.
I generally refuse any vanilla ice cream except those of 2 or 3 brands and I do the same with teas.

Knowing Mariage Frères I was sure the vanilla was a good vanilla and I am not disappointed at all.
This is a sumptuous Bourbon vanilla…meaning the Vanilla comes from the following islands ONLY : La Réunion, Mauritius,Madagascar or Comoros. This is the same Vanilla as the one used in Wedding Impérial but of course here no caramel and the tea base is not an assam but probably a Chinese tea and it is so mellow, awwwww love it !

This blend is perfectly balanced between the flavour and the tea base.
I think it can become one staple.

I got some of this from Dustin in a swap and also Scmiracles sent me some because she is totally awesome!!

I tried this once a few months ago at my local fancy tea shop, but then she never had anymore in stock. Speaking of fancy, I feel fancy when I drink it.

It does get pretty strong pretty fast and I remember the lady at the tea shop telling me this, so I steeped it at 95 degrees and only for about a minute and a half, I do not regret that decision as I can actually taste a hint of bitterness even at that time!

It’s delicious though, chocolatey and caramelly and the scent of the tea is intoxicating. I know it’s all in my head because it’s my curse to always want things I cannot have, but I swear it even SMELLS like quality. It’s so nice to be able to try this!

My ultimate life goal of visiting Paris one day (and England for that matter) is just emphasized now because when I get there someday, I will absolutely be raiding Mariages Freres!

Thanks so much for the samples, you guys :)
I am truly enjoying my cup of this while I rewatch Season 5 of True Blood, two of my favorite things at the same time, too much awesomeness!!

400ml of water at 195F
1 level tablespoon of tea
Steep for 4 minutes
1/4 teaspoon of highly refined sugar

As a Spring Flush tea, this Jungpana represents a difficult tea to judge. In 2011, the First Flush Jungpana was among my favorites, highlighting all the tastes a fine Spring Darjeeling has to offer. In 2012, the Jungpana lost some of its flavor and was a very light tasting Darjeeling.

This 2013 Spring Flush Darjeeling is more similar to a Summer Flush than a Spring Flush. It has the bold, brisk, astringent taste of a Summer Tea. It retains some if it’s fruity flavor of years past but this is all together different when mixed in the the astringency and the bold taste.

As a Spring Flush Tea, it fails to please. It has none of the complex, light tasting, multitude, of floral and fruity notes. The stringency is strong, harsh, overbearing and does not accentuate the overall taste. Gone is the very slight, not at all sour stringency which brings together and heightens the taste of all the complex flavors.

Hopefully all the other teas of my purchase, will live up to the gold standard of a Mariage Freres Spring Flush tea.

I haven’t yet decided how I feel about this one. Thank you Shmiracles for this one! I’m going to refrain from rating this one, because I got busy and was unable to really take notes. I know that mousse au chocolat is still my favourite of the two but that’s as far as I can recall. This one impressed me less but it wasn’t bad at all!

This was really lovely, with lots of that bergamot fragrance I love and require. Going to have to savor this batch for sure, ‘cause for me once it’s gone it’s gone, alas.