Two teas in one leaf: a flowering green tea and a soft black tea, which Mariage Frères blends for Île Magique, then scents with exotic fruits and jasmine before scattering marigold flowers over the mix. The blend is rare among scented teas, where a single base is usually chosen; here the two leaves complement each other, the green for freshness, the black for roundness.

The house says it drew inspiration from an island symbol of peace to compose this cup, which it describes as very serene, and nicknames the tea of paradise. The declared ingredients are tea, flavouring and marigold; the blend may contain traces of tree nuts.

The liquor is silky, dominated by citrus. The exotic fruit comes first, then the jasmine, floral and discreet, and the finish keeps the zesty freshness that the green tea prolongs. The tannins of the black tea are softened by the sweetness of the blend, and the cup is drunk without any harshness.

It is a tea for the day, from morning to evening, best drunk plain. It goes with a fruit dessert, a citrus salad or a light breakfast. Infused and then chilled, it makes a floral, fruity iced tea, among the most pleasant of the summer.

Allow 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and five minutes of infusion. Île Magique is weighed and packed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo, in a pouch designed to preserve its aroma, and should be kept in an airtight tin, away from light.