60

This is a nice idea – currant, violet, macaron. Ideally, this would have a nice balance of berry notes from the currants, elegant florals from the violet and a sweet. light, pastry presence keeping the whole thing together.

Nose wise, I mostly get violet, but also an almondy note, which, generously, could be deemed the pastry.

In the cup, it’s mostly currant, with a slight minty hint to it; I suspect this is the Dammann Frères violet. We don’t really get along, I think; I definitely prefer Comptoir’s violet flavour.

The macaron, to use a now clearly established Steepsterism, RSVP:d to the party, but did not show up.

Is it a tasty tea? Yes. Is it a tea for me? No.

[From my epic Instant-Thé order to Rome, October 2013.]

Preparation
160 °F / 71 °C 3 min, 0 sec
cteresa

I think I never had this one, though I think I have smelled it on their (Absolute fabulous, open on sundays, and nice staff) shop at Place des Vosges.

I actually think their violet tea is the best violet tea ever, Ysaurella sent me some and it was totally in my shopping list till I was there and found out the price – 14 euros per 100 grams, rather than say 5-6 at Mariage Freres. I strategically decided to buy more teas instead of getting the Dammann violet tea, but I am sort of regretting it now, their violet tea was really incredible, the other teas I got instead are sort of meh.

Anna

Oh, interesting! I might just be DF-biased; overall, I’m not that impressed by their products. Well, I’m going to sell and/or trade most of my DF teas soon, including three teas containing violet – let me know if there’s anything you’re particularly interested in.

cteresa

I will keep an eye out then! Do you have any of their plain violet tea?

I sort of get what you mean about Dammann. And their tea bases (Seriously how hard would it to be to change it from time to time and to make it stronger for example?)

But their plain-old-just violet tea is just about the only one tea of theirs I ever had where I can think, best version of this kinda of tea ever. Totally on my shopping list, except I found out the price and then decidedly (Wrongly) to get more teas instead. So sort of despicably greedy to try to swap for it now when I passed on the chance to buy it but wow if you got any of their plain violet tea you do not want, yeah, it´s awesome to my palate (not totally sure it´s that price awesome but would love to swap for it if anybody has it and does not love it)

Anna

No, sadly I don’t have it, nor have I tried it. Is it black or green?

I’m curious now, though – if I get my hands on some, I’ll make sure to tell you, and send you some.

cteresa

Black, just plain black violet flavored tea. Very simple and traditional and totally worth having but it was 14 euros for a 100 grams a few months ago and my frugal side just said no. My hedonist side now is complaining ,it was really quite perfect.

Anna

Next time.

Ysaurella

Teresa, I never paid such a price for the Violet DF : http://www.instant-the.com/violette-the-noir-parfume.htm
http://www.dammann.fr/lang-en/thes-noirs-parfumes/912-violette-3259920005542.html
your salesman place des Vosges should have made a mistake

Ysaurella

Anna : why did you steep this green at such a low temperature ? would you do a try at 80°c ?

Anna

I looked at the Instant Thé website, too, but it doesn’t say ‘Dammann Frères’ on it – all the other teas have that, are you sure it’s from DF?

Oh, and I followed the steeping instructions, I always do that for a first try:

http://www.instant-the.com/macaron-cassis-violette-the-vert-parfume-dammann.htm

cteresa

Ysaurella I did not ask the sales lady, but they had printed catalogue and that is what it said there – Charlotte au chocolat also I think. I think I got that catalogue, or brochure saved somewhere, will double check

Ysaurella

Anna, really give a try at 80°
I think the webmaster forgot but they use to work with DF essentially + 2 other brands. I am almost sure it is.
@ Teresa, sure, on their website it is 6 € for 100g
Charlotte au chocolat is more expensive yes, 15 € something like that but at least the tea base is different for one time : a keemun :)

Anna

Oh, interesting – cteresa, maybe you can e-mail them and ask if it’s the DF violet?

As for the temperature experiments, I could, and I’m really grateful for the suggestion, but I’m just not enamored with DF at all. I find myself just being happy the teas don’t taste that much, because I essentially don’t enjoy the taste.

I think I only have two more to sample, and then I’ll just trade/sell/give these away to someone who appreciates them more. I’m really happy I got to try them, though – my goal is to try all the teas, after all!

Ysaurella

gosh what a HUGE goal….ahahaha good luck !
did you get the envelope ? I never sent anything to Italy but I find it long to be delivered !

Anna

I haven’t checked my mail for a few days, I will tomorrow. Italy is sooo slooow sometimes, though – you never know how long it can be. Plus they sometimes hold things hostage and then you have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get them.

cteresa

It was not a webmaster, it was at the place des vosges shop and their printed catalogue. But I just found it, it is summer 2013 catalogue and on section Thé noirs parfumés nº234 Violette 14€. wait, I took a photo, let me find a hosting site

http://awesomescreenshot.com/08926p9p88

Anna

cteresa: No, Ysaurella was referring to what I said about it not being marked on the IT-website that it was a DF tea, sorry to add to the confusion.

Ysaurella

noo Teresa, the webmaster of Instant forgot the name of the brand for the Violette tea on his website, it was to Anna.
well anyway there is too much for the violette tea, this is not its real price.

cteresa

Oh, that is good to know, 14 euros really is kinda of outrageous (LOL, though seeing what north americans are willing to pay for mediocre tea, maybe not). It is really the wildest-freshest violet tea i tried yet, thanks Ysaurella!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Comments

cteresa

I think I never had this one, though I think I have smelled it on their (Absolute fabulous, open on sundays, and nice staff) shop at Place des Vosges.

I actually think their violet tea is the best violet tea ever, Ysaurella sent me some and it was totally in my shopping list till I was there and found out the price – 14 euros per 100 grams, rather than say 5-6 at Mariage Freres. I strategically decided to buy more teas instead of getting the Dammann violet tea, but I am sort of regretting it now, their violet tea was really incredible, the other teas I got instead are sort of meh.

Anna

Oh, interesting! I might just be DF-biased; overall, I’m not that impressed by their products. Well, I’m going to sell and/or trade most of my DF teas soon, including three teas containing violet – let me know if there’s anything you’re particularly interested in.

cteresa

I will keep an eye out then! Do you have any of their plain violet tea?

I sort of get what you mean about Dammann. And their tea bases (Seriously how hard would it to be to change it from time to time and to make it stronger for example?)

But their plain-old-just violet tea is just about the only one tea of theirs I ever had where I can think, best version of this kinda of tea ever. Totally on my shopping list, except I found out the price and then decidedly (Wrongly) to get more teas instead. So sort of despicably greedy to try to swap for it now when I passed on the chance to buy it but wow if you got any of their plain violet tea you do not want, yeah, it´s awesome to my palate (not totally sure it´s that price awesome but would love to swap for it if anybody has it and does not love it)

Anna

No, sadly I don’t have it, nor have I tried it. Is it black or green?

I’m curious now, though – if I get my hands on some, I’ll make sure to tell you, and send you some.

cteresa

Black, just plain black violet flavored tea. Very simple and traditional and totally worth having but it was 14 euros for a 100 grams a few months ago and my frugal side just said no. My hedonist side now is complaining ,it was really quite perfect.

Anna

Next time.

Ysaurella

Teresa, I never paid such a price for the Violet DF : http://www.instant-the.com/violette-the-noir-parfume.htm
http://www.dammann.fr/lang-en/thes-noirs-parfumes/912-violette-3259920005542.html
your salesman place des Vosges should have made a mistake

Ysaurella

Anna : why did you steep this green at such a low temperature ? would you do a try at 80°c ?

Anna

I looked at the Instant Thé website, too, but it doesn’t say ‘Dammann Frères’ on it – all the other teas have that, are you sure it’s from DF?

Oh, and I followed the steeping instructions, I always do that for a first try:

http://www.instant-the.com/macaron-cassis-violette-the-vert-parfume-dammann.htm

cteresa

Ysaurella I did not ask the sales lady, but they had printed catalogue and that is what it said there – Charlotte au chocolat also I think. I think I got that catalogue, or brochure saved somewhere, will double check

Ysaurella

Anna, really give a try at 80°
I think the webmaster forgot but they use to work with DF essentially + 2 other brands. I am almost sure it is.
@ Teresa, sure, on their website it is 6 € for 100g
Charlotte au chocolat is more expensive yes, 15 € something like that but at least the tea base is different for one time : a keemun :)

Anna

Oh, interesting – cteresa, maybe you can e-mail them and ask if it’s the DF violet?

As for the temperature experiments, I could, and I’m really grateful for the suggestion, but I’m just not enamored with DF at all. I find myself just being happy the teas don’t taste that much, because I essentially don’t enjoy the taste.

I think I only have two more to sample, and then I’ll just trade/sell/give these away to someone who appreciates them more. I’m really happy I got to try them, though – my goal is to try all the teas, after all!

Ysaurella

gosh what a HUGE goal….ahahaha good luck !
did you get the envelope ? I never sent anything to Italy but I find it long to be delivered !

Anna

I haven’t checked my mail for a few days, I will tomorrow. Italy is sooo slooow sometimes, though – you never know how long it can be. Plus they sometimes hold things hostage and then you have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get them.

cteresa

It was not a webmaster, it was at the place des vosges shop and their printed catalogue. But I just found it, it is summer 2013 catalogue and on section Thé noirs parfumés nº234 Violette 14€. wait, I took a photo, let me find a hosting site

http://awesomescreenshot.com/08926p9p88

Anna

cteresa: No, Ysaurella was referring to what I said about it not being marked on the IT-website that it was a DF tea, sorry to add to the confusion.

Ysaurella

noo Teresa, the webmaster of Instant forgot the name of the brand for the Violette tea on his website, it was to Anna.
well anyway there is too much for the violette tea, this is not its real price.

cteresa

Oh, that is good to know, 14 euros really is kinda of outrageous (LOL, though seeing what north americans are willing to pay for mediocre tea, maybe not). It is really the wildest-freshest violet tea i tried yet, thanks Ysaurella!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

I’m going to try all the teas.

Then I will choose a lucky few perfect specimens, and we will live happily together in my tea cupboard.

Forever.

* *

2015

This will be a year of in-betweenness and logistics. Where to put the teas. How to arrange the teas. Which teas to replenish – which ones to say goodbye to.

Still doing Project Green.
Still doing Project Jasmine.
Still doing Project Peach.

Dr. Tea is the name, I’m ahead of my game
still, steeping my leafs, still f*ck with the temps
still not loving Assam (uh-huh)
still rock my Bosch kettle with its high-pitched shriek
still got love for the greens, repping Lupicia
still the cup steams, still doing my thang
since I left, ain’t too much changed, still

(With apologies to Mr. Young.)

2014

This year, all bets are off. I am going to drink both peppermint and chamomile and possibly suffer a little. But it’s okay – it’s for science.

I’m doing Project Jasmine, Project Peach and Project Unflavoured Green.

In terms of flavoured teas, Lupicia and Mariage Frères have become my massive favourites, and I have learned that Dammann Frères/Fauchon/Hédiard and Butiki aren’t really for me.

The O Dor, Adagio and Comptoir des thés et des épices are all on this year’s I’d like to get to know you better list.

2013

Getting back into tea drinking last fall, I was all about rooibos. This past spring has been all green tea, all the time, with some white additions over the summer. Currently attempting a slow, autumnal graduation to black teas. Oolongs are always appropriate.

The constant for me, flavour wise, is the strong presence of fruity and floral notes. Vanilla is lush, as long as it’s not artificial. Peach, berries, mango. Cornflower, rose, lavender.

No peppermint.

No chamomile.

No cinnamon.

Ever.

* *

My ratings don’t reflect the ‘What does this tea do for me?’ standard, but rather my own ‘What would I do for this tea?’ scale.

100-90
My absolute favourites. Teas I would travel for – or, in any case, pay exuberant postage for, because they simply have to be in my cupboard. Generally multi-faceted teas with complex scents and flavours. Teas with personality. Tricky teas.

89-80
Teas I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again if and when I came across them. Tea purchases I would surreptitiously weave into a travel itinerary (Oh! A Lupicia store! Here?! My word!).

79-70
Teas I enjoyed, but don’t necessarily need to make any kind of effort to buy again.

69-0
Varying degrees of disinterest and contempt.

Location

Rome, Italy

Following These People

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer