Tea type
Black Tea
Ingredients
Black Tea, Flavor
Flavors
Astringent, Candy, Drying, Floral, Lavender, Malt, Perfume, Strawberry, Thick, Milk, Vanilla, Chocolate, Raspberry, Cocoa, Fruity, Sweet, Cream, Red Fruits, Smooth, Caramel, Creamy, Berries, Flowers, Jam, Tart, Bitter, Dried Fruit, Fig, Wood, Earth, Rose
Sold in
Bulk, Loose Leaf, Sachet
Caffeine
Medium
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Cameron B.
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 45 sec 4 g 35 oz / 1043 ml

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269 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Yesterday’s sprinkles gave way to real rain. You can just feel the tired old earth around me go “ahhhhhh.” I woke up craving this. I must have needed an “ahhhh” too. This is lovely and fruity (love...” Read full tasting note
    97
  • “SIPDOWN! I loved this when I first got it, but I did find it to be finicky – finicky, but worth it. As long as I keep the temp around 203F and the time around three minutes this is great. Hubby...” Read full tasting note
  • “It’s been forever since I’ve had this tea. But not because I don’t love it. It’s actually the opposite – I adore this tea so much that I haven’t been able to force myself to open the new tin of...” Read full tasting note
    90
  • “Sipdown! Had a small cup of this before tucking the rest ofth is away For cavocorax :) while I enjoy this one, it’s not my favourite of the MF teas that I’ve had the pleasure of trying.” Read full tasting note
    82

From Mariage Frères

Mariage Frères’ most famous secret is this mysterious blend that takes you to distant lands and strange countries. The aroma of Chinese and Tibetan flowers and fruit lend it a uniquely velvety taste. Its extraordinary bouquet makes Marco Polo the most legendary of flavoured teas.

Succès incontesté de la Maison Mariage Frères, ce mélange secret vous fera voyager dans les plus lointaines et mystérieuses contrées. Les senteurs de fleurs et de fruits de Chine et du Tibet lui confèrent un arôme velouté unique. Un bouquet extraordinaire pour le plus mythique des thés parfumés.

About Mariage Frères View company

Company description not available.

269 Tasting Notes

100
69 tasting notes

I’m having my favorite this morning, but it’s with the horror of realizing I’m almost out. I MUST ORDER MORE. I think I let it steep for too long. Anything past three minutes and it gets bitter, even with the sugar, but if you steep it just right, it tastes like rainbows and magic.

Preparation
3 min, 0 sec

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92
119 tasting notes

Nothing more to add other than I liked it with milk this time.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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97
305 tasting notes

Thanks to Ricky for sharing this incredible tea with me!
The leaves smell rich, inviting. The first sip….strawberry…real strawberries, just the right amount of sweetness. I could eat this up, so smooth, so rich tasting. I think I just found my dessert tea that I have been looking high and low for:)

Preparation
3 min, 0 sec

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216 tasting notes

Hmm. This doesn’t make the best of iced teas: the tea flavor and the berry flavor are both there, but they never quite mesh.

Disclaimer: My tin of Marco Polo is embarrassingly old, which is surely affecting the flavors it produces.

Lori

I tried one of MF’s fruity teas cold and it was YUCK. those flavors justdid not blend well either…

Cait

So it’s not just me, then! Good to know. :)

Ricky

And here I was going to try and make this tea iced.

Cait

If you can figure out how to make it work, I’d love to know!

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94
23 tasting notes

This is so perfect. I wouldn’t do anything to change it…it’s so dreamy. I need to get some of this pronto. Perfectly fruity and slightly floral…..desserty with milk and sugar. Oh my.

wombatgirl

You know? I just knew you would. I’m so glad I was right.

Samantha

I would hug you if I could!

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94
259 tasting notes

Simply delightful!
I ordered a tin of the loose tea based on its reputation. The dense, compact leaves smelled as if I had somehow landed in a delectable strawberry field. I was transformed from a dreary November afternoon into a fruited dream world of sweetness. I thought of some of the lucious music I know—-if you like Puccini at all, this tea is the equivalent of that gorgeous candied aria, “Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from “La Rondine”. Ah! mio sogno! Felicita!

But I really should be referencing the sweets of France—perhaps this tea has an Italian name because it well represents the robust spectacle which is Italy? It is based on tea leaves from China and Tibet, so it really is an international melange.

I am now lusting after the jams made by Mariage Freres.

I typically try a tea dark and then decide whether I want to add sugar and/or milk. I think that Marco Polo could handle those but I was into the deliciousness so much that I could not bring myself to change one single thing.
I understand that this tea is more costly, but it is worth it.

Preparation
5 min, 0 sec

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98
24 tasting notes

He made the journey to my house and arrived yesterday evening.
After such a long trip, I had to try him. He is my new best friend. Yes, Marco Polo lived up to his reputation. At first, I wanted to wait, as I had a huge fear of possible disappointment. But at my daughter’s urging, we forged ahead. Once I told her that I ordered him because when I googled “best tea in the world” his name popped up, there was no waiting. At first whiff out of the sealed bag, he instantly took me back about 50 years to the smell of my dad’s cherry blend pipe tobacco. He smelled like leather and tobacco with a mysterious fruity fragrance… is it cherries, strawberries, raspberries, or some berry type blend? Then we brewed, being ever so careful with timing and temperature. The aroma fills the senses like a great wine. The taste and flavor fills your mouth with a full bodied chewy goodness that you don’t want to ever leave. I love him. There was no bitterness, just smooth fruity and full bodied black tea goodness. Can you tell I love a good black tea? Why did I only order 2 oz.? Foolish virgin!

This morning, I did a second steep using the same leaves. I couldn’t bear to throw those leaves away. Its even smoother, more velvety and has lost some of the more pronounced berry and cream flavor. There is still great yummy goodness. It is still fragrant with good body. What is in this tea??? Does anyone know? Marco Polo and I may go on a long journey together. I love him!

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 45 sec

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90
1137 tasting notes

THIS IS DAMN GOOD.
I usually dislike black teas.. wow, I can’t believe I liked it this much! This is a perfect tea =D

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100
335 tasting notes

I bought this after receiving a gift card for William Sonoma. I have had this tea on my shopping list since I first joined steepster. And I finally cracked it open. The smell that came out was amazing. Smells of strawberries, freshly baked chocolate cake, deep vanilla, and some floral. What a perfect Valentine’s Day tea! :)

The brew wasn’t as strong as it smelled. Still a lovely black tea, very enchanting. With the name Marco Polo, I was thinking more spices in the tea. I love the ending taste of the tea, that has to be the flowers. This is a very original flavor. I just wish it was more affordable.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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91
247 tasting notes

I had this for the first time this morning. It’s wonderful! I went lightly on the steeping time as I don’t add milk or sweetener. It smells like black tea with strawberries and cream. It’s heavenly!

Brewed with the Breville at 200 degrees for 2 minutes.

Once made, it still smells wonderfully! It’s fruity and creamy. The taste is nice. Slightly bitter, but not outrageously so. The strawberries are pleasant tasting and not overly sweet. It tastes creamy, but doesn’t feel heavy. It does have a slight drying effect in my mouth afterward. I really like this tea and had been looking forward to trying it. I’m so glad I found it yesterday! It didn’t let me down.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 0 sec

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