Persian Tea in the Night Garden

Cool night air sweeps tea plantations by the Caspian Sea. Green tea leaves slowly melt into darkness. Labdanum and cedarwood caress the palate. Incense blows about on the wind as the night descends into the blueness of dawn.

I'd like to spend a night on the rooftop of an Iranian house while smelling black tea, one of my favorite things on earth, and feeling the fresh night breeze leaving a trail of smokiness on my skin and hair.

These images are evoked by Persian Thé from the Night Garden collection by Crabtree & Evelyn.

This tea is cool and dark, smoky but not too sweet, just like real Persian tea. It is drunk from tiny glass cups through a hard sugar cube. The sugar is not stirred into the tea but held in the mouth and the liquid passes through and over the sugar cube, sweetening the tea.

Tea is cultivated in the north of Iran, a region glorious with rainy weather. Tea plants thrive in its green expanse. The freshness of fog is captured with this perfume, which just happens to be a commonality between this area of Iran and most of Britain.

Persian Thé has average sillage and lasting power. It is available in EDP form from the Crabtree & Evelyn website for $198. Though not spectacular, it does tell a story, and for that, I appreciate it. This collection retains its British character but builds on well-known ingredients to expand its range.