Bathed by the Java Sea, Surabaya keeps the charm of the 1930s, and the song “Surabaya Johnny”, sung around the world, lets the echo of lost illusions drift through it. Mariage Frères has given this name to a red rooibos with mallow petals, scented with exotic fruits, guava and blackberry, and with spices of a vanilla-like taste. A floral, fruity and vanilla rooibos, naturally caffeine-free.

Rooibos is a shrub from South Africa whose oxidised needles give a red infusion that is sweet and low in tannins. The declared composition combines red rooibos, flavouring, blue and pink mallow, with possible traces of nuts. The house Jardin Premier label appears on this rooibos.

The liquor is round and sweet, a reddish amber. Vanilla provides the framework, warm and indulgent; the guava and blackberry bring a sweet, slightly tangy fruitiness; the spices add a touch of heat; and the flowers a lightness that stops the whole from becoming heavy. The finish is smooth, long and floral. It is one of the most complete rooibos teas in the house, for those who find vanilla alone a little simple.

Naturally caffeine-free, it is best drunk in the evening, after dinner, and at any hour by those who limit their tea. It accompanies a chocolate dessert, a fruit tart or vanilla biscuits, and, infused then chilled, makes a fruity iced drink for summer.

Allow 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and five minutes of infusion; rooibos tolerates a longer infusion without bitterness. Surabaya is weighed and packed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo, in a pouch designed to preserve its aromas. Store it in a dry place, away from light.