Between bergamot and lavender there is only a step, which the Mariage Frères tea taster has taken by adding to Earl Grey the flavours of Provence. Blue lavender, with its warm and mysterious aroma, joins the citrus, whose zesty and lightly peppery notes blend easily with the softness of black tea.

The composition brings together tea, flavouring and Provençal lavender; the blend may contain traces of nuts. Flowers of lavender are visible in the black leaf, and the tea carries the house’s Jardin Premier label.

The cup has a silky texture, round and intense at once. The bergamot opens, sharp and peppery; the lavender follows, warm and floral, and the two meet on a supple black tea with discreet tannins. Dosed so as to perfume without ever suggesting soap, the flower is a touch rather than a blanket: it gives the Earl Grey a roundness that bergamot alone lacks, and a long, aromatic finish.

It is drunk through the day, plain, at lunch or at teatime, with a shortbread, a honey cake, calissons or an apricot tart. Those familiar with classic Earl Grey will find a southern variation here; those who find it austere, a gentler version. It also lends itself to iced tea.

Allow 2.5 g for 200 ml of water at 95 °C and five minutes of steeping. Earl Grey Provence is sold loose leaf, weighed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo, or in an airtight iconic black metal tea tin of 100 g, presented in its gift box. In either case, keep it closed, away from light and spices: lavender is a fragile fragrance.