The plum blossom blooms under the snow, in the heart of winter, and announces to Japan the awakening of nature. It is this that the Ume collection from Mariage Frères celebrates, and Ume Cha 2026 is its new vintage: a black tea with the scent of plum blossom, presented in a tall jar with a double lid holding at least 80 g.

The ingredients are tea, a natural flavouring and rose petals; the full list appears on the jar and on this page. The petals punctuate the black leaf, and the plum blossom fragrance, fruity and delicate, is noticeable from the moment the jar is opened.

In the cup, the house speaks of a subtle harmony between the enveloping roundness of black tea and the fruity sweetness of plum blossom. The flavours are velvety; they glide over the palate, says Mariage Frères, like petals carried on the breeze. The liquor is amber and round, with no apparent tannin, and the finish keeps a slightly tangy floral note.

The jar deserves a mention: a soft turquoise, it is dressed in gold flakes and bears a snow-coloured plum blossom greeted by swallows, heralds of the return of fine days. It is a gift for late winter and early spring.

Drink it in the afternoon, plain, with a fruit pastry, a mochi or a biscuit. Allow 2.5 g per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and 5 minutes of steeping. The blend may contain traces of nuts. Ume Cha 2026 is available at La Boutique du Thé, official stockist of Mariage Frères since 1999, in Bordeaux and Nice. Store the jar closed, away from light and heat.