OP1: Orange Pekoe, first choice. Behind this grade are large whole leaves, rolled lengthwise, without bud or broken pieces, whose regularity speaks of careful picking and rolling. Those of Blackwood are a beautiful deep black and, when dry, release notes of prune cream.

The harvest comes from the Glenanore garden, in the Badulla district, in the highlands of Uva province, in the south of the island of Ceylon, a terroir suited to the making of Grands Crus. Uva is among the great tea regions of Sri Lanka, known for characterful black teas. Here, no added fragrance: the bouquet owes everything to the terroir and to the making.

The liquor is amber, round and malty. Mariage Frères describes a fruity bouquet of açaí, that dark, lightly sweet berry, then the lasting resonance of rosewood on the finish. You find what a well-made Ceylon should give: body without harshness, fruit without acidity, a woody length that settles in without turning bitter.

It holds all day. Plain, it lets you read its structure; at breakfast, a cloud of milk suits it well, as it does many Ceylons. Toast, fruit cake or white meat lunch accompany it without overpowering it. For those who want a straightforward, frank black tea, it offers a generous and consistent cup.

Blackwood OP1 is available loose leaf, weighed to order in our Bordeaux and Nice shops, from a 5 g sample up to one kilo, and in a 100 g iconic tea tin, metal, black and airtight, slipped into its gift box. The steeping parameters specific to each format are listed on its product page.