The bright freshness of mandarin, the elegant notes of rose petals: Mariage Frères speaks of an encounter, and Mandarin in Love is its fruit, a green tea that the house describes as infinitely sensual, presented in a box of thirty round cotton muslin sachets, sewn in France, for a net weight of 75 g.

The ingredient list includes tea, a natural flavouring and rose; it appears in full on the box and on this page. Rose petals are the red thread of the In Love collection, and the box, in orange tones, vibrant and joyful according to the house, reflects the tea.

The liquor is silky, lively and succulent, to borrow Mariage Frères’ words, rounded by the powdery softness of floral notes. The mandarin opens, clear, sweet and tart like the fruit one peels in winter; the rose follows, powdery, discreet; the green tea keeps the whole fresh and light. The finish is floral, without bitterness.

Drink it in the afternoon, plain, with a citrus pastry, an orange chocolate, macarons, or on its own. It makes a very fresh summer iced tea, the mandarin gaining even more brightness.

For preparation, allow 1 muslin sachet per 200 ml of water at 80 °C and 3 minutes of steeping; the moderate temperature keeps all the green tea’s gentleness. The blend may contain traces of tree nuts. Mandarin in Love in muslin sachets is available from La Boutique du Thé, official Mariage Frères stockist since 1999 in Bordeaux and Nice; keep the box closed, away from light and odours, and the aroma will remain intact until the last sachet.