Twenty grams is little, and that is deliberate: Thé Blanc au-delà du ciel is a tea of rare delicacy, which Mariage Frères offers in a small tin, as one presents a precious object. White tea is the least processed of families: the buds and young leaves are simply withered and dried, without rolling or induced oxidation.

This is a plain white tea, with no additions at all. Our product sheet confirms that it contains none of the fourteen allergens that must be declared. The leaves, downy and light, occupy a surprising volume for their weight, and that is one of the reasons for the small format.

The liquor is crystal clear, almost colourless, and velvety on the palate. The profile is that of an airy, vegetal sweetness, crossed with subtle floral notes that require a little attention to be picked out. No astringency, little caffeine: this is a tea to be drunk slowly, in the quiet of an afternoon.

It is enjoyed plain, without accompaniment or with something very discreet, a plain biscuit or a fresh fruit. Anything sweet or scented would overwhelm it. White tea also lends itself to several successive infusions, each a little different from the last; the second, often, is the most revealing. Our product sheet does not specify the garden of origin, and we prefer not to invent one: the name alone suggests the altitude and lightness the house wished to evoke.

Our catalogue sheet gives 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and five minutes of infusion. Keep the tin tightly closed, away from light and strong odours: white tea absorbs everything around it.