Pleine Lune from Mariage Freres
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mariage Freres
Tea Description:
The splendour of a ‘Full Moon’.
Inspired by that heavenly body and the realm of dreams, this poetic blend combines fragrances evoking the feast of the full moon: fruits, rare spices, and the sweet taste of honey.
A true moonbeam.
PREPARATION ADVICE FOR 1 CUP :
Amount of tea leaves: 2.5g
Best water temperature: 95 °C
Infusion time: 3-5 min
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first heard of this tea I wanted it! I am in love with the moon and spend hours under the moon meditating, relaxing, and relishing in its beauty. The name of the tea alone had me sold. I could only hope that it lived up to its namesake, and it has beyond my wishes!
The smell is heavenly, the taste is dreamy.
I get a distinct cherry note on the top of the sip. Almond comes through perfectly, not too strong, not too weak. The flavors are all perfection, nothing tasting artificial. There are hints at cinnamon and vanilla, but again no one note stands up deamding for your full focus. A truly well mastered blend! No wonder it is one of Maraige Freres best sellers!
Now yes there are some flowers in this tea and there is a subtle floral note within it but I would not call this a floral tea personally. To me floral teas are far more floral in flavor this one just has these delicate pretty petals dancing around in the steeping basket that add only a slight hint of a note of flowery goodness. What I taste more so is a fruity cup with vanilla and spice and of course nuttiness. It is so delicious!
I have to thank my Steepster friend for sending me this from France. I felt so fancy getting a package from France! It may seem silly but I did. I squealed with delight and I can’t even tell you how wonderful the box smelled even before opening it! So thank you my friend for this wonderful tea. I know it is her all time favorite and I can absolutely see why!
Its sweet but many add sweetener and creamer to the cup. I have enough left to try it that way myself and I am sure it will be amazing. I love it straight however and see no need to mask any of these beautiful flavors!
While this is absolutely a tea for grown ups who can appreciate all the lovely notes within the cup, I could see this easily being loved by kids and non tea lovers alike. It would be a wonderful cup to serve to guests who do not normally have tea.
The mouthfeel is somewhat bright, not heavy, but yet it is robust enough to make you feel you are having something hearty and serves well as a morning wake up cup, to an afternoon tea, to a dessert tea yet perhaps if you want it to fill the dessert tea slot it would be better with some cream and sugar. To me it is not as sweet as some dessert teas and definitely not cloying. They do say there is honey in the tea but I personally am not picking up on that note too much at this time.
The black base is perfect for this blend. There is absolutely no astringency. I have no idea what base they are using, I would guess a Ceylon but I am can’t be sure. If anyone has opinions or knowledge on this feel free to comment!
This tea comes in sachets, loose, and in different sizes, etc. I have linked the loose leaf but if you do a search on the site you can find the other forms it comes in.
