Large black leaves, with plenty of golden tips: Grand Yunnan can be recognised by eye before it is even infused. The TGFOP grade, Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, says this precisely: a whole leaf, rich in golden buds, the ones that give Yunnan black teas their characteristic sweetness and roundness.

Yunnan, in south-western China, is the historical birthplace of the tea plant, and its black teas, made from the large-leaf variety, are among the roundest and most fragrant in China. This one is a plain tea, with no added fragrance; the full list of ingredients appears on the packaging and on this page. The house’s Jardin Premier label features on this tea.

The liquor is amber, and the taste, according to Mariage Frères, envelops the palate. There is a malty roundness, soft woody notes, a peppery touch on the finish, and a full, almost honeyed texture, without astringency. Very fragrant, as the house says, but with its own perfume, that of the leaf and the bud. It takes a splash of milk, but is equally enjoyable plain for its sweetness.

According to the house, it suits breakfast and the whole day: a black tea from China round enough for the morning, fine enough for lunch and the afternoon. It goes well with a viennoiserie, a mild cheese, a slow-cooked dish or a honey dessert.

Allow 2.5 g of leaves per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and five minutes of infusion. Grand Yunnan is weighed and packed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo, in a bag designed to preserve its flavour. Store it in an airtight container, away from light and humidity.