Two floral teas, two ways of bringing flowers into the cup: this is the Flower Spirit gift set from Mariage Frères, which brings together for the first time two of its scented compositions in matt, pearlescent 100 g tins, lacquered and hand screen-printed in France.

The first is Black Orchid, a tea the house describes as silky and vanilla-scented, where the flower becomes enveloping and soft. The second is Rose d’Himalaya, a Darjeeling with a gourmand rose scent, where the delicacy of a high-altitude black tea meets the most classic of scented flowers.

The two complement each other: one velvety and vanilla, the other lively and rosy; one for late afternoon, the other for the start of the day. Drink them plain, to keep the definition of the scent, with a delicate pastry, a macaron, a shortbread or a white fruit tart; the Rose d’Himalaya, in particular, does without milk, so as not to mask the finesse of the Darjeeling. The detailed composition and infusion parameters of each are printed on its tin, and both may contain traces of nuts.

The gift set is for those who love floral teas, or for those one wishes to introduce to them gently. It makes a gift for Mother’s Day, a birthday or a housewarming, and the tins, once empty, are useful for storing loose leaf for a long time.

Two 100 g tins, or 200 g of tea in all: enough to alternate for a whole season between orchid and rose, according to the mood of the day.