Mariage Frères Christmas teas, edition by edition
By the LBDT Sommelier · published on · 3 min read
Reviewed and approved by the La Boutique du Thé team
Every year, Mariage Frères releases Christmas teas: Esprit de Noël, a black tea with gentle spices sold as loose leaf at €13 per 100 g, is the classic of every December; alongside it come tea tin editions at €28 (80 g for most), on black, green, white or oolong tea or rooibos. Here is how they differ.
Esprit de Noël, the December tea
Esprit de Noël is a black tea with gentle spices, led by cinnamon and orange, to steep for 5 minutes at 95 °C. It is sold as loose leaf, from 50 g to 1 kg, which makes it the most affordable Christmas tea: €13 per 100 g. Its jelly (€9.50), its gingerbread (€14) and its shortbread biscuits (€11) carry its flavour further.
Noël Nouveau (€13 per 100 g) is its green tea counterpart, lighter, 3 minutes at 95 °C.
The tea tin editions: the black teas
All at €28 for an 80 g tin, 5 minutes at 95 °C, moderate caffeine:
- Bûche de Noël: caramel, chocolate and fruit, the most indulgent.
- Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding: candied fruit and spices, in the spirit of English desserts.
- Christmas Earl Grey: bergamot with festive spices.
- Christmas Orange: orange and Christmas spices.
- Christmas Strawberry: strawberry, for those who prefer fruit to spice.
- Christmas in Love: fruity and floral.
- Christmas Party and Christmas Song: spiced, rounded, made for a shared teapot.
- Noël Tea: gentle, festive spices, close to Esprit de Noël in a tin.
The Noël Amour collection: one flavour, five bases
Noël Amour offers the same festive flavour on five bases, each in a tea tin at €28: black tea (80 g), green tea (80 g, 3 minutes), oolong tea (80 g), white tea (25 g, 85 °C) and rooibos (80 g, naturally caffeine-free, with apple, cinnamon and almond). It is the collection to give when you know the recipient's favourite type of tea.
In cotton muslin: Noël in Love and Noël Rhapsody
Noël in Love (€25 for 30 cotton muslin tea sachets) is an oolong tea with the flavour of the thirteen Provençal Christmas desserts. Noël Rhapsody (€25) brings a brioche note with candied fruit to a Pai Mu Tan white tea, 7 minutes at 85 °C. Two practical boxes for the office in December.
Caffeine-free: the Christmas rooibos
For the evening, Noël Amour rooibos is the house's naturally caffeine-free Christmas edition: a South African rooibos with apple, cinnamon and almond, in an 80 g tea tin, 5 minutes at 95 °C, and it never turns bitter if left in the teapot. It is the one we recommend for the whole family after dinner.
How to choose
- A single Christmas tea, loose leaf: Esprit de Noël.
- A gift: a €28 tea tin, Bûche de Noël for those with a sweet tooth, Christmas Earl Grey for bergamot devotees.
- The whole family, in the evening: Noël Amour rooibos, naturally caffeine-free.
- At the office: Noël in Love in cotton muslin tea sachets.
The tin editions are not restocked once sold out: order early in the season.
The sommelier's selection
Frequently asked questions
What is the great classic among Mariage Frères Christmas teas?
Esprit de Noël, a black tea with gentle spices, sold as loose leaf at €13 per 100 g. It returns every December, along with its jelly, its gingerbread and its shortbread biscuits.
Are the Christmas teas available as loose leaf?
Esprit de Noël and Noël Nouveau, yes, from 50 g to 1 kg. The other editions come in 80 g tea tins or cotton muslin tea sachets.
Is there a caffeine-free Christmas tea?
Yes: Noël Amour rooibos, in an 80 g tea tin at €28, apple, cinnamon and almond, naturally caffeine-free.
Until when are the Christmas teas sold?
While stocks last, usually until late December for the tins. Esprit de Noël loose leaf remains available for longer.
To go further
Written by the LBDT Sommelier, La Boutique du Thé, official Mariage Frères stockist in Bordeaux and Nice since 1999. Published on 15 October 2026. Prices as observed on the date of publication; the price shown on the product page prevails.
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