An envelope-style pouch of 50 g, to carry everywhere or to slip into a letterbox for postal delivery: Paris White Day is made to be given. Mariage Frères presents it as the gift for every occasion, birthdays, weddings, tokens of sympathy or friendship, and White Day, that spring festival of returning the kindnesses received, gives it its name.

Despite what its name might suggest, it is not a white tea: it is a fragrant red rooibos, fruity and floral, with a sweetness the house calls incomparable, and 100% naturally caffeine-free. Rooibos, a shrub from South Africa, gives a round red-amber liquor, low in tannins and free of bitterness, that can be drunk at any hour. The blend combines rooibos, rose petals and flavouring; it may contain traces of nuts.

In the cup, the fruit opens first, sweet and slightly tart, then the rose arrives, tender, and the rooibos rounds everything off with a naturally sweet softness. The finish is floral and fruity, long, with no added sugar. It is a pleasant, easy cup, suited to a keen tea drinker as much as to someone who does not usually drink tea.

Enjoy it plain or with a cloud of milk, in the afternoon or in the evening after dinner, with no worry about caffeine. It goes with biscuits, a red fruit tart, macarons, or simply the letter that came with it. Served iced, it becomes a sweet, flowery summer drink.

For 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and five minutes of steeping; rooibos does not turn harsh, and a longer infusion gives a rounder cup. Once the pouch is opened, transfer the rooibos to an airtight container, away from light and strong odours.