Mariage Frères

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 20

More bergamot? I’ve had so much of it this week. So. Much.

White tea base with roses, bergamot, something to dye it red (hibby?), and trademark “red berry” flavouring makes for a particularly perfume-like concoction. The result is tangy, tart, hay-ish, bitter-floral, and vaguely berry-sweet. I like the smell better than the taste.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the “rhapsody” series MF showcased last year, and this is no exception, but I do have a slight weakness for the French “red berry” thing.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 19

Feels like I’m swimming in bergamot and other citrus flavours this advent season. I don’t hate it (in fact, I kind of love it) but I’m also low-key laughing to see even the chai throwing bergamot at me too. Et tu, Brute?

Besides that, I’m all for a chai on this snowy day. The cinnamon, clove, and peppercorn are most forward to me; next in prominence is the cardamom, and then the ginger. The bergamot makes a bright flash of a finish, with flairs of spicy zest, and is also very much there. It all makes for a surprisingly tasty and rounded chai, that doesn’t need a lot (or any) milk. Although, I expected nothing less after thoroughly enjoying most of MF’s past chai offerings.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 18

Despite being blue-dyed, the first steep had a profile of a delicious red oolong – notes of amber honey, flower nectar, and a hint of roasted sweet malt. The second steep tastes more like a milky green oolong – floral, buttery, silky, and rich. It’s quite lovely and I’m kind of curious about the discrepancy between steep one and two. I want to gongfu steep this one, despite the blue peaflowers, but not enough to pick up more. I have a lot of amazing oolong in my life.

Steep Count: 3

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 17

The satchet smells potently like coniferous trees, and not much else. Once it’s steeped up it’s clear that the tree flavour is coming from tree syrup – specifically spruce; it’s rich, sweet, and… tree-ish. It’s hard to discern the actual tea underneath the force of nature known as “tree” but, being a lover of evergreen notes and tree resin, I’m all over this anyways. Probably because of that overlap flavour with citrus fruits.

Also, can’t argue that “spruce tea” isn’t on point for an advent calendar! I wish there were more blatantly frankincense, sandalwood, or conifer-infused teas like this one for the holidays

Steep Count: 3 – the second steep is silky, almost creamy, and perfectly balanced.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 16

It looks like this lavender-heavy blend used to have a black tea base; it appears that MF has since subbed it for a green oolong with blue pea flowers. The first cup I had late last night was maybe too potent – lavender, citrus, and vanilla perfume is soothing but also a lot, especially when the tea broth is so blue…

The second steep this morning is more aligned with my preferences. The lavender is toned down but still dominant – whilst the vanilla and citrus (could be yuzu, grapefruit, bergamot, a mix, or neither) add brightness and and decadence to the cottage flower. The oolong base magnifies the milky, floral, and incense notes. There’s a fresh mouthfeel and a hint of something peppery; it’s a surprisingly round cup and I like it.

Steep Count: 4 good subsequent steeps!

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 15

Oh, this is a lovely green oolong. Initially, I thought it was scented – it has delectable notes of vanilla, milk, woody incense, and subtle gold honey fused with butter to finish. Subsequent steeps are silky and sugarcane sweet.

I’d definitely consider picking up more… except it’s 68€/100g. Err… so the long list, then. I respect MF for including one of their pricier selections – and not colouring the tea with blerghy blue pea flowers!

Steep count: 4 (3min, 3min30, 2 × 4min..)

Wait. They sell this in 50g. That is slightly easier to swallow (still on the longlist).

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 14

Nice, and the dry leaf in the sachet smells amazing, but probably my least favourite of the citrus teas today – if only because the green tea base is more veggie than I currently want. There’s something a little candy-like about the cup as well – not that this is a terrible thing.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 13

I’ve never tried the original black tea version but, after this, I want to. I’m pleasantly surprised how well the almond and mild spice levels take to a green tea base. The addition of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove provides a satisfying level of heat to the bright pastry-almond finish.

The green tea itself is not intrusive; I think I can pick out some sweet grass notes but the tea blends so seamlessly with fruity, nutty, spicy, floral and buttery ingredients. There’s so much going on here that it’s hard to discern what may be from the tea’s natural notes and what is due flavouring.

The ingredients also list rose, but I mostly pick up on a vague fruity-floral red note; when it combines with the almond and butter notes, the impression is not unlike marzipan, sweet yam, or even a red bean paste. It’s a fancy pastry tea that I want more of – In part because I want to see what green tea MF used. Looking at the price per tin though.. maybe I’ll check out Pleine Lune first!

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 12

Two flavoured Darjeeling blends in one advent! And here I thought flavouring a Darjeeling was against whatever goes for tea propriety (I’m joking but I also can’t recall coming across any tea blender who dared to flavour one).

The deep grape hues are maybe a tricky pairing for peach; the combo leaves the impression of a mulled fruity red wine or a pruned purple plum, rather than peach itself. When the peach is ascendant, the combined sweet, floral, and sour notes of the Darjeeling creates a portrait of a hip Bellini or… Fuzzy Peaches (hurrah). Also, bittersweet children’s grape-flavoured cough syrup (boo.. at least it’s not an overt association). It’s a neat blend but, as a huge fan of violets and a lesser fan of peach-flavoured teas, I think “Aviateur” is the better scented/flavoured Darjeeling of the two.

I’m going to go for a second steep later because, like oolong, I think that’s where a lot of Darjeeling teas hit their stride. Edit second steep was softer, but my Mom actually loved the first steep – which changed beautifully as it cooled.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 11

Like Île des Dieux from day eight, this is a delightfully smooth and fruity unflavoured green tea! The tropical fruit note appears at the finish and morphs into something quite sweet (MF says papaya; I get more under-ripe mango). The website description likens this Nepalese tea to an oolong – and I can see that, but there are still plenty of notes that place it in green tea territory.

I drank this with a salty bowl of Indomie stir-fry noodles, fried egg, and shrimp – because I’m reliving my undergrad junk food favourites this morning. This tea elevates the crude meal in a huge way, and also cuts through the strong fat, salt, onion, and crustacean flavours. Classy, for a palate cleanser (and here I initially thought this tea was gentle).

Steep Count: 2

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 10

I believe this black tea has every imaginable flavour of citrus present ::checks description:: yep, essentially every kind of citrus.I’m in CrowKettle heaven. All the citrus in one tiny cup… (so much power).

On the flipside, someone with less favourable opinions about this fruity tea might call this the citrus equivalent of the creature from Frankenstein – or “what if one of Naomi Novik’s maw-mouths consumed only citruses and became an all-consuming, ever-hungry chaotic citrus blob?” Yes, then it’s a nightmare. I find that I even take great joy at imagining these less appealing citrus-form creatures. I just really love citrus.

This is an older tea from MF and seems to be sold solely in a rainbow canister (the image here is broken, but I added a new one on the main page); it’s an aesthetic choice that fits this advent’s “rainbow world tour” concept perfectly (I’m starting to immensely appreciate this concept, even if I don’t love every tea selected).

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 9

Is it even a Mariage Frères advent without a version of Marco Polo showing up?

The famous red fruit aroma is present but the choice of oolong base is gentler than either the black tea and green tea versions I’ve tried in the past. It has light vegetal, floral, and mineral notes (on the second steep it’s almost milky in that silky way of green oolongs). With this delicate profile, the fruit flavours not only tastes like strawberry-rhubarb but also goji berries. The first steep was kind of woody and earthy too, although that’s probably from the blue pea flowers (woody is what leads into the goji interpretation).

Steep Count: 3 – as usual, the second steep of the oolong is my preferred one so far. It mostly loses the woody note, which I personally find a little jarring and would rather do without.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 8

Today’s selection is a steamed green tea from South Korea, that Mariage Frères calls “The island of the gods.” What a name.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a Korean tea like this before; my limited experience has been with astringent, seaweed-inclined specimens. However, this one is a delicate peach.. or, more accurately, a tangerine! There’s a touch of anise, juniper berry, and celery – along with brightly fruity notes of tangy green apple and a soft, sweet citrus. The tangerine note makes this a lovely fit for a Christmas advent.

I really need to opt for an unflavoured green tea advent calendar next year. They bring me so much joy.

Steep Count: 3

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 7

First black tea of this advent and it’s a lovely darjeeling! I honestly cannot recall the last time I drank a darjeeling but it’s so good to revisit one.

I don’t know how to accurately describe the floral flavouring of this lovely tea but I can pick a colour: purple. Purple like muscatel grapes; purple like violets. Mmm… all I know is that I want more of this delicate, fruity-floral tea.

Steep Count: 2

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 6

Oh, interesting! This green oolong also steeps up greenish-blue (I think MF was going for Indigo), but otherwise only seems to have a minimalist addition: clover flowers. The result is a silky, grassy balm of a tea, with sweet pea-meets-honeysuckle floral notes. I like it and I’m going to see how many times I can resteep it once I’m done this pot.

Steep Count: 3 pots and I probably could’ve kept going, but so many teas.

On another note – I’d probably be a little exasperated by this advent’s current lack of flavoured black tea offerings if it wasn’t for the Dammann Frères advent ONLY offering flavoured black teas so far; it all balances out (and I love oolong).

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 5

It’s like I summoned the Blue Pea-Flower Ghost of Christmas Past by uttering its name yesterday…

This particular oolong seems to work better than the “In Love” teas included in last year’s advent. Buttery oolong is an excellent build for silky caramel, which in turn is a surprisingly good build for licorice (the dominant flavour by far; licorice haters beware).

The caramel component reminds me favourably of Oolong Caramel au Beurre Salé by Dammann Frères – a good tea in my books. When the buttery caramel mixes with the licorice it puts me in mind of one of my favourite ice cream flavours, Tiger Tail, in all of its licorice-butterscotch glory – sans orange (but add rose – which is a subtlety that strangely works here). A couple more things that come to mind are Greek Ouzo candies and South Asian candied fennel Mukhwas. This tea would make an excellent sweet palate cleanser at the end of a rich meal.

I actually dig this one (and I’m extremely surprised to type that). The dark blackish-blue colour even works with the licorice flavouring.

Steep Count: 2 – Second steep at five minutes worked well; the blue colour is gone too (hurrah).

Edit: to balance this positive note, my mom did not like this tea one bit lol

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 4

The name of this tea screams “Freddie Mercury,” at least in my mind, but I think the sleepy profile of lush rose, cool mint, and tangy hibiscus (because all roses need thorns) pairs best with the dreamy haze of Beach House. The atmosphere is “crisp flower garden meets the fuzz of spring showers” – and it’s so laid back.

My biggest issue is that the white tea base is mostly choked by the more prolific plant varieties (every gardener knows that once mint escapes the pot it’s game over). However, as the cup cools, there’s a vague but pleasant creaminess, mixed with lemon-sweetness; it’s lovely but fleeting.

Also, the tea is pink (Edit: nowhere does the label name hibiscus as an ingredient but.. that taste and that colour). I will gladly take hibby pink over the blue pea-flower wave of last year’s advent. This year, MF’s advent art depicts rainbow hibbys arranged in a peace sign wreath – so I knew the flower was bound to show up at some point. It’s alright.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 3

Today seems to be fruit-themed in advent-land (to distract from the frigid weather, maybe?). I love dragonfruit and enjoyed the couple of Colombian MF teas I’ve tried so far, so I’m actually excited to see this one pop up!

Dragonfruit is a mildly-sweet cactus fruit, not unlike a watered down kiwi or pear, with soft floral hues. It’s tricky to find a tea base that won’t overshadow such a delicate profile, but this gentle, grassy-sweet Colombian green appears to manage just fine. A pleasant astringent dryness builds over the course of the cup, which transports me to somewhere warmer that I’d rather be.

I could see some finding this tea insipid – but it puts me in mind of what I dub “spa teas” (ex – those refreshing but subtle melon and cucumber-inclined profiles). I like it (disclaimer: I also like Glacéau Vitamin Water Mega C) and think it would make a good cold brew.

Steep Count: 2

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 2

What a name. The label says “green mate chai,” so I steeped it at a low temperature, under four minutes, expecting “consequences.” I needn’t have fussed (no actual green tea is in this blend; just mate). It ended steeping up to a well-balanced cup – filled with citrus, sweet grass, and grounding earthy notes – although, not earthy enough to qualify as “dirt-like.”

The “chai” component is more of a finishing accent, than something that dominates the blend – at least to start. I initially couldn’t tell what spice(s) were present – but it has the same effect as the pleasant burn of cinnamon hearts. It builds pleasantly as I continue to sip away at my cup. Peppercorn, ginger, and cardamom maybe? The spices are sweet and zesty in their heat, and meld artfully with the earthy and grassy tones.

I actually like this one a lot. The warmth of the blend is just the thing on this sluggish, snowy morning. I’m almost awake now.

Steep Count: 2

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 1

It’s a rooibos. A nice rooibos, with mystery red floral notes, but a rooibos all the same. I respect MF for boldly leading with an unexciting rooibos and convincing me to opt for a non-caffeinated beverage for a change last night. I don’t know what makes this a rainbow, but I was admittedly half-asleep while drinking it. It shall remain a mystery.

I should really branch out with what Christmas advents I get – try new teas, cheaper companies… However, I’ve desperately wanted to stock up on this no fuss, Nutella-scented, fall-in-a-cup blend since I ran out 9-10 months ago. The price on its own is not actually terrible either (before shipping, and all the other indulgences I added). Maybe next year I will switch it up and say no to more Nutella chestnut tea in my life (the thought makes me so sad).

What I most appreciate about this tea is that I can delude it with milk for an evening dessert latte, or steep it up strong and bold in the morning (or in the evening because who needs sleep). It’s not super complex but it accomplishes the objective it sets for itself. I respect that.

I inhaled this tea; I honestly can’t recall the last time I polished off 50g/1.7oz so quickly. I guess I was in the mood for sweetened chestnuts.

Beyond the chestnuts, this tea also reminded me pleasantly of Nutella (hazelnut), and also of chocolate covered pistachios. The flavouring is straightforward but also an appealing juxtaposition of creamy-smooth and bittersweet nut husk.

Taken without milk, usually with a second steep; even at its most nippy, I was worried about drowning out this tea’s flavours (it would’ve probably have been fine).

I hadn’t read the description of this tea in a while, was trying to pick out sakura under the smokiness and wasn’t quite getting it. Rereading it and seeing that it’s smoked with Japanese cherry wood makes more sense. The smoke is VERY present, but doesn’t seem as overwhelming as smoke in a Lapsang. It has an almost sweet quality to it with a hint of maltiness in there as it cools. I don’t know that I quite get the evoking of liquorice, but I can see how the finish might be described as incense like. The instructions said to steep it for 4 minutes, but I’m glad I started with 2 because this turned out to be a very nice cup.

This is a really lovely tea. Floral, tropical, earthy, lots of body and transforms as you drink it. Really delightful! A hidden gem.