Drop a piece into a glass teapot, pour the water, and watch: the tender silvery buds, tied by hand into a graceful bouquet, slowly open in the clarity of the infusion and turn into a magnificent flower with a golden heart. Le Thé du Dragon is a sculpted green tea, scented with the finest jasmine, which Mariage Frères describes as mythical.

It belongs to the Les Calligraphies du Thé collection, in which the word “thé” is calligraphed in the language of each country; here, in Chinese, on a lacquered and screen-printed metal tin containing 50 g of sculpted green tea. The composition combines tea and marigold, that golden heart of the flower; the blend may contain traces of nuts.

Hand shaping is an ancestral craft: the buds are tied one by one, then dried, so that the piece keeps its shape until infusion. The jasmine scent, for its part, is imparted by contact with fresh flowers, following the traditional method of Chinese jasmine teas.

In the cup, the liquor is clear and fragrant. The jasmine opens, fresh and a little honeyed, then the green tea, made of buds, brings its sweetness and vegetal freshness, without bitterness. The finish is floral and long. A daytime tea, to be drunk plain, in a teapot or a clear glass for the spectacle, which accompanies a Chinese meal, dim sum, a lychee dessert, or almond biscuits.

Allow 1 piece per teapot, water at 85 °C, and three minutes’ steeping; the same piece withstands several successive infusions, each a little different. After opening, close the tin carefully and keep it away from light and strong odours, so that the jasmine stays sharp to the very last blossom.