Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Le Palais des Thés
Tea Description:
This green tea blend was inspired by a trip to Morocco. It is flavored with exotic fruits (mango, yellow peach and citrus) and Damascus rose, a famous variety that grows on the slopes of the Atlas mountains. Like a flower petal jelly, this tea is both fresh and sensual, and it is beautiful either hot or iced.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Thé des Sables from Le Palais des Thés is an enjoyable tea. It’s certainly not my favorite offering from this company, but, I am finding it to be calming … soothing … this evening.
The fruit notes of mango and peach taste a tad … artificial, especially in the first couple of sips, but by the time I’ve reached mid-cup, the artificial notes seem to have softened and make way for a more true-to-fruit kind of experience. This ‘artificial-ness” can also have something to do with the citrus tones, which sort of tingle on the tongue in the aftertaste similar to the way my tongue tingles after I’ve sipped a tea that tastes slightly chemical-y or perfume-y. But this tingling sensation sort of wanes by mid-cup, and the artificial taste is less noticeable.
But even with the artificial taste, this tea doesn’t taste horrible. I think it is the floral tones that save the tea from being dumped, really, because the floral tones are so soft and pleasant. Sweet and exotic tasting, like baklava that’s been flavored with rose water. When served warm, this is what this tea reminds me of. I sometimes even think I can taste the pastry notes, which is kind of odd for a green tea … so it might all be in my head … maybe this tea just enchants me so that I think I taste things that I don’t. It is interesting to me, though, that the floral tones here seem so soft and pleasant, not at all perfume-y, while the fruit tones tasted so off at the start … reminiscent of perfume.
As I said, it’s not my favorite tea from this company, but, I’ve tried several teas from them that I’ve really quite enjoyed so I’m not going to allow this one experience to taint my opinion of Le Palais des Thés. Not every tea is going to prove to be a winner, after all, and this one isn’t so horrible that I’d call it a loss … it’s something I enjoyed alright, and something that I’d drink again if I were offered it, but I doubt that I’d order it for myself if I’ve other choices.
