I’m happy that my first ever Mariage Freres tea is this blend, Marco Polo, which the company is very well known for here on Steepster. The sample was provided by my tea triplet VariaTEA – I’m assuming because she wasn’t all too impressed by it.
Dry, I don’t smell a lot. I guess some fruit – but it’s light and generic. I suppose that could be from the packaging and the fact it’s been sitting in my sample drawer for a little while now. I’m hoping the taste it much more flavourful.
Brewed up, it didn’t smell nearly as delicious and aromatic as the Creme Brulee from DT I was brewing up so it really didn’t hold my attention all too well. And then, once it was brewed up I wanted to dig into the Creme Brulee – and instead had to force myself to get to this one so I could try it before it went stone cold.
Now that I am trying it, I think it tastes pretty decent. I really like the black base used here and if all Mariage Freres’ black teas have a base like that then I’m sure this company and I will get along just fine. However, as for the rest I think the fruit here lets me down a little. I can’t for the life of me figure out what kind of fruit this is supposed to be. Strawberry? It’s definitely not a stone fruit – that’s for sure, and I don’t get apple, banana or any type citrus in any distinct way. So, to me, that kinda leaves berries as the most likely thing they’re going for. I don’t know.
The other thing I get from this is a floral in the end of the sip and aftertaste – and overall I’m not minding it but as I get to the bottom of the mug it’s kind of starting to build up in a perfumey/chemical way. I’m not smiling too fondly on that.
I don’t know… It’s just not distinct enough! I want more!
So overall thoughts? I think I side with VariaTEA all in all with not being incredibly blown away by this one or totally buying into the hype. I’ll stick to many of my other blacks over this one.
Maybe it would have been more enjoyable if it wasn’t so hyped especially since it is not bad, just nothing special