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Mariage Frères Marco Polo Tea
The Chanel No. 5 of Tea
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TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR
Mariage Frères Marco Polo the tea company’s absolute bestseller. A crowd favorite, it’s sometimes referred to as the Chanel No. 5 of tea, with a recipe that is very closely guarded. It’s a velvety black tea blend with Chinese and Tibetan flowers and red fruits, exuding wonderful floral, fruity aromas. It’s refreshing on the palate, and bursting with flavor—red berries and fruit, with floral and honey notes.
PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS
The Mariage Frères Marco Polo Tea is the tea to serve when you don’t know which tea to serve! It will appeal to most palates, and is perfect for any time of the day. Play with its fruity notes by pairing it with desserts, like strawberry shortcake or a pavlova. It’s good with or without milk, and doesn’t need additional sweeteners.
THE TRADITION OF TEA
In the middle of the 17th century, tea trade in France experienced a boom, with King Louis XIV and the French East India Company encouraging various expeditions and explorations to far off lands in the hopes of attaining exotic goods. It was in 1660, during these expeditions that Nicolas and Pierre Mariage joined in the tea trade, with Nicolas exploring Persia and India, and Pierre exploring Madacascar. Their descendants continued in the trade, until their experience and knowledge led them to open their first wholesale shop in Paris in 1843.
But it was in June 1st, 1854 that Henri and Edouard Mariage founded what we now know as Mariage Frères Tea Company. It imported the highest quality leaf teas from the Orient, trading with first class hotels and Parisian tea shops. And in 1983, the company shifted from wholesale to retail, opening tea houses in central Paris. In a turn of fate, its first tea emporium and salon opened in the same building where Henri Mariage had his offices more than a century ago, in rue de Bourg-Tibourg.
There are now five Mariage Frères tea rooms in Paris, and their tea is now distributed in over 60 countries around the world, offered in premium hotels, and to first class passengers on Japan Airlines.
Storage Instructions
Store your tea in odor-free, airtight containers. Keep them in a dry, dark place to avoid exposure to heat, excessive light, and humidity. Properly stored, teas will retain full potency and flavor for 18 to 24 months.
