Whole, intact leaves of lemon verbena, enclosed in cotton muslin: Verbena Citriodora is the verbena infusion from Mariage Frères, which the house describes as natural and artisanal, offered here in a box of thirty traditional round muslin sachets.

Lemon verbena, Aloysia citriodora, is the shrub of the gardens of the South of France whose crushed leaf smells of lemon; dried, it makes one of the most classic infusions of French evenings. The composition comes down to one word: lemon verbena, nothing else. Naturally caffeine-free, it contains no tea and no flavouring. In our catalogue it carries the Jardin Premier label.

The infusion is a golden colour the house calls auréolin, clear and luminous. The lemony and herbal notes are invigorating, but the house also describes a marshmallow-like softness and a backbone recalling candied citron: the verbena is not only lemon, it has a sweetness and a length that the whole leaves, better than broken pieces, allow to express themselves. The cup is clear, fragrant and free of bitterness.

It is an evening infusion, after dinner, plain or with a spoonful of honey; it goes well with a light dessert, a fruit salad or a shortbread. It is also remarkable iced, prepared in advance and served with ice cubes and a mint leaf. The round, traditional cotton muslin lets the leaves unfurl and gives a cleaner infusion than a paper tea bag.

Allow 1 muslin sachet per 200 ml of water at 95°C and six minutes of steeping. The box contains 30 muslin sachets, that is 45 g net, verbena being much lighter than tea; keep it closed, away from light, so the lemon stays bright.