Cameron B. select Send Message

349 Followers / 246 Following

Cameron B. drank Marco Polo by Mariage Frères

4330 tasting notes

Next in line! This sample came from boychik and, originally, CharlotteZero (whom I wish would come back so I could thank her!). I’m unsure how this one got missed, as I’m usually rather eager to try French tea samples. I guess it must have gotten lost at the bottom of the sample box! The leaves are very small and dark. I can’t smell much, perhaps a hint of fruit.

I can immediately smell that this tea is French – it has that powdered sugar aroma. I can also smell red fruits and some sweetness. Hm, this is actually quite good, especially for being rather old. There are definitely red fruits here, mostly heavily strawberry and raspberry. It got a teeny bit bitter, but I did steep it for 4 minutes, and the leaves looked quite broken. I can taste a hint of vanilla, but I wish there was more. Pretty tasty, I would like to try a fresh sample of this one. :) Withholding rating because I suspect flavor loss here.

Flavors: Fruity, Malt, Raspberry, Strawberry, Vanilla

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML

I Like This

16 likes

2 comments

boychik
Delete

You really should try Celebration H&S . Like French tea without artificial aftertaste. I think Im going to order some tonight. They have BOGO sale.

Cameron B.
Delete

Yeah, I’m curious about that one. I might have to order a tin if they do a free shipping day without minimums. :)

People who liked this

Comments

boychik
Delete

You really should try Celebration H&S . Like French tea without artificial aftertaste. I think Im going to order some tonight. They have BOGO sale.

Cameron B.
Delete

Yeah, I’m curious about that one. I might have to order a tin if they do a free shipping day without minimums. :)

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- February sipdowns: 5
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 39

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing