“The result? A utterly intoxicating golden liquor.” Mariage Frères asks the question and answers it in one line to present the Thé Bleu des Légendes, a velvety blue tea enlivened by the fresh, zesty notes of a citrus composition.

Blue tea, or oolong, is a semi-oxidised tea, midway between green and black, whose rolled leaf gives a round, soft liquor that carries citrus aromas with a smoothness a black tea would not have. Composition: blue tea, flavouring, blue flowers; the blend may contain traces of tree nuts. It is listed in the catalogue under the Jardin Premier label.

The cup takes on golden shades. The citrus opens, fresh and zesty; then the oolong takes over with its velvety roundness, and the finish lengthens, soft, floral and fragrant. The flavour is sweet and smooth: a blue tea for those who love citrus but find Earl Grey too dry.

It is drunk in the afternoon, plain, without milk, with a lemon cake, an orange salad, a citrus pastry or a square of dark chocolate. Infused hot then chilled, it becomes an iced tea of great freshness, where the zest comes to the fore. Oolong leaves happily accept a second infusion.

Three formats are available: loose leaf, weighed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo; the 100 g black metal tin, airtight and with a sealed lid, in its gift box; the box of 30 traditional round cotton muslin tea sachets, net weight 75 g. The infusion parameters specific to each format are on its product sheet.