Jasmine, rose and mint: three scents we associate just as readily with the gardens of Paris as with the streets of Saigon, brought together by Mariage Frères on a green tea. Paris-Saïgon is, according to the house, a green tea with dominant notes of jasmine, rose and mint, and our catalogue credits it with an exotic floral freshness.

The green tea, unoxidised, keeps a fresh vegetal base on which the flowers and mint settle lightly. The full list of ingredients is printed on the packaging. It comes in a miniature, an object of the house that is happily kept once empty and makes a pretty gift.

The liquor is clear and fragrant. The jasmine opens, floral and soft; the rose slides in behind it, rounder; then the mint brings a freshness that lightens the whole and recalls mint tea, without the sugar. The green tea holds everything together, and the finish is clean, fresh, a little floral.

It is drunk during the day, hot at midday with Vietnamese cooking, a bo bun, spring rolls, or in the afternoon with a pastry flavoured with orange blossom. Iced, the mint takes the lead, and the tea becomes a very thirst-quenching summer drink, to be prepared in a jug the day before.

The house recommends a slightly more generous measure than usual: 3 g of leaves per 200 ml of water at 85 °C, and four minutes of steeping. Water that is not boiling preserves the sweetness of the green tea and the clarity of the mint. Close the miniature firmly after each use, as jasmine is a volatile scent, and keep it away from light and kitchen odours. La Boutique du Thé, official Mariage Frères stockist since 1999, offers it in Bordeaux and Nice.