The word “tea” calligraphed in Hebrew, on a lacquered and screen-printed metal tin: Thé des Prophètes belongs to the Les Calligraphies du Thé collection, in which Mariage Frères dedicates a tea to each country and dresses it in its script. This one is devoted to the Orient, the land of Isaiah and Jeremiah, a mosaic crossed by the route of perfumes, where the gold of the domes shines.

The house has composed a black tea with sweet and tart indulgences, of ruby pomegranate, the royal fruit, symbol of love and prosperity. A return to the Garden of Eden, it says. The composition combines tea, cornflower, pomegranate and flavouring; the blend may contain traces of nuts. The tin contains 100 g of flavoured black tea.

In the cup, the liquor is amber and round. The pomegranate opens, juicy, sweet and tart at once, with that note of grenadine one recognises immediately, then the black tea takes over, supple, with discreet tannins, and the finish remains fruity and fresh. The cornflower petals, visible in the dry leaf, colour the blend with blue touches.

An afternoon tea, to be drunk plain, or iced in summer, when the pomegranate gains even more freshness. It accompanies Oriental pastries, loukoums, an orange salad, a walnut and honey cake, or simply a few fresh pomegranate seeds. It makes a gift in its tin for anyone who loves the Orient, fruit, or beautiful calligraphy.

Allow 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and five minutes of infusion. After opening, close the tin carefully and keep it away from light, heat and strong odours, so that the pomegranate retains its freshness to the last cup.