Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: small, dark green with bright flower petals
Ingredients: green tea, rose, berries, orange flower, green dates
Steep time: 1 hour
Water Temperature: room temprature
Preparation Method: glass teapot
Liquor: deep gold
Given how hot it has been this summer, I jumped at the chance to try the new line of iced tea bags from Le Palais des Thés. When I first opened the package I was fascinated both by the size of the tea bags (easily more than double a normal bag) and the quality. They were made out of muslin rather than the usual paper and had an extra long string, perfect for brewing in a taller container. They were so fancy looking that I almost felt bad throwing them out when I was done. The instructions said to steep the bag in room temperature water for 30 to 60 minutes. I prefer my iced tea on the strong side so I opted for the longer brew. Each bag makes two cups of iced tea, which was perfect for a solo drinker such as myself. I used my little glass teapot but any carafe or pitcher would work just as well.
This blend was named after the Turkish baths and it certainly evoked decadence. It was fruity and sweet with just the right amount of tartness. The green tea was mellow and mildly vegetal. It stayed in the background and let the other ingredients shine. Dates are a new tea ingredient for me but I thought that they added a really nice touch. The rose and orange blossom provided a pleasant perfumed aftertaste. No sweetener was necessary but it wasn’t overdone either. This was probably one of the most refreshing iced teas that I have ever had. I’m down to my last bag of this and I will be so sad to see it go. I try not to buy tea since I’m usually over stocked with samples but I may need to make an exception in this case.
When I do restock, I’ll definitely have to give one of their delicious sounding recipes a try. This one in particular really struck my fancy.
You can find this tea here.