I recently tried Thé du Hammam, a tea blend from Palais des Thés. Here’s my detailed review of the experience:

Preparation

  • Temperature: 170°F / 76°C
  • Time: 3 min, 15 sec
  • Tea Amount: 2 g
  • Water Volume: 3 oz / 100 ml

Thé du Hammam

Overview

Thé du Hammam was quite a shocker for me. My experience doesn’t seem to fit what I expected. It’s sweet and subtle, both traits that are important for a tea that describes itself as inspired by oriental hammam’s scents.

Flavor Profile

Here’s my issue, out of the four elements of the tea, only two seem to be noticeable, with one overpowering the other: the green date (notable in the aftertaste) and the rose (subtle at the front of the taste). The green date is something I never expected in a tea, providing a very refreshing form of sweetness, while the rose adds a nice touch for that Hammam-like taste. However, I didn’t detect any signs of orange flower water or red fruits.

Overall Impression

This is a recurring theme in Palais des Thés flavored teas; they tend to be too perfumy, lacking much-needed substance. While some of their recipes hit the mark, this one falls short in delivering a well-balanced flavor profile.

Tasting Experiences

I have tried this tea twice, once in a gaiwan with 30-second steeps at 75°C and 2.5g/100ml, and once in a teapot with 6g/300ml, 75°C, steeped for 3 minutes. Unfortunately, both experiences have been disappointing so far.

I am sad because I deeply wanted to love this tea, but for Palais des Thés teas, I think I’ll just stick to their pure teas.

Flavors: Dates, Rose

Rating:

  • Flavor Complexity: 10/30 - Limited complexity, with dominant but unbalanced flavors.
  • Brewing Forgiveness: 10/20 - Sensitive to brewing parameters, easily becomes perfumy.
  • Consistency Across Infusions: 8/20 - Fails to maintain a consistent flavor profile.
  • Overall Enjoyment: 8/30 - Disappointing and not enjoyable overall.

36/100

- yaro