A green tea with the scent of almond milk, scattered with rose petals: Love Song Tea is sweet and smooth, a timeless bouquet, says Mariage Frères, of past, present and future, which is enjoyed in an embrace or on its own. The house presents it in a collector’s metal flask with a double lid, containing 90 g of scented green tea.

The declared ingredients are tea, almond, rose petals and flavouring; the blend contains nuts and may contain traces of other nuts. Almond milk is the orgeat of old-fashioned syrups: a creamy, lightly sweet softness that belongs more to confectionery than to dried fruit.

The liquor is clear and fragrant. The almond opens, sweet and milky, then the rose, discreet, adds a floral touch, and the green tea keeps a vegetal freshness in the background that stops the whole from turning into dessert. The finish is tender, slightly powdery, and lingers long.

This is an afternoon tea, to drink plain, without sugar, the blend having its own sweetness. It goes with macarons, a financier, an oriental almond pastry, a blancmange. Infused then chilled, it makes a surprisingly sweet iced tea, which can be served in small glasses at the end of a summer meal.

Allow 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and three minutes’ infusion. Close both lids after use and keep the tin away from light and odours. La Boutique du Thé has been the official Mariage Frères stockist since 1999, in its shops in Bordeaux and Nice.