THE HISTORY OF FORTNUM & MASON

Transcription

1 THE HISTORY OF FORTNUM & MASON The history of Fortnum & Mason and that of tea drinking in Britain are intertwined. Black Bohea tea was one of the first products we offered for sale in 1707, when the tay drinking Queen Anne was on the throne. We were one of the first companies to successfully bid for the new Indian teas when they were first auctioned in London in the mid-1830s so that our customers could enjoy this exciting new development in what was by then the nation s favourite drink. Over the centuries, we have created new blends sometimes for specific customers and have pioneered the discovery of new teas to tantalise the palates of our discerning customers, including one variety grown in Cornwall. Tea is taken seriously at Fortnum & Mason, for it is one of Nature s greatest gifts, therefore we believe that it deserves to be given respect and to be enjoyed in surroundings that are both comfortable and convivial.

2 Leaf Grades: Grading is crucial as strength, flavour and colour infuse at different rates according to leaf size. The larger the leaf the slower the rate of infusion and better the quality. FOP FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE Single Estate Teas Black Teas Oolong Teas Green Teas White Teas SINGLE ESTATE TEAS This denotes tea made from the end bud and first leaf of each shoot. FOP contains fine, tender and young leaves, rolled with the correct portion of tip. GFOP GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE This is FOP with golden tips - the very end of the golden yellow bud TGFOP TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE This is FOP with a high proportion of Golden Tip FTGFOP FINEST TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE Exceptionally high quality FOP STGFOP SPECIAL TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE Another exceptionally high quality FOP First invoice from the Flush Making The Most Of Leaf Teas To enjoy teas at their best we brew different teas at different temperatures: Black Teas between 90 C and 100 C Green and White Teas between 75 C and 90 C Black Teas 1 ASSAM ATTABARRIE ESTATE SPECIAL TIPPY This is an elegant tea with a very high proportion of golden tip, and a beautifully smooth and creamy flavour. Attabarrie regularly wins prizes for the quality of its orthodox leaf teas. This tea has been specially produced for us by Kenal Shekhawat, the manager of the Attabarrie tea garden. It has a rich, smooth and creamy flavour, and is ideal with milk 2 HATTIALLI TGFOP1 The Hattialli estate is renowned for producing high quality, golden, tippy teas of a consistently high quality. It gives a rich, very smooth, fullbodied cup full of aromatic maltiness with subtle hints of raisins 3 ASSAM DOOMUR Doomur Dullung is one of the most famous tea gardens in Assam, and is owned by the world s oldest company, awarded the Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in This tippy invoice is specially manufactured by controlled plucking from selected sections of the estate during the quality season. This fine leaf is processed in the traditional way to produce a full-bodied tea with a malty character 4 NEW VITHANAKANDE A beautiful location combined with favourable climatic conditions, gives New Vithanakande a special mellow character that really sets it apart from other Sri Lankan teas. Aromatic with an orange-red liquor, it is excellent with a splash of milk ASSAM ASSAM ASSAM CEYLON 3

3 5 AMBA UVA HAND MADE Amba is a tiny tea garden in the hills above Ravanna-Ella Waterfalls in the Uva region of Sri Lanka. Each batch of tea is made with care in small quantities and sun dried giving each a unique flavour, varying slightly in style according to the field and season. Quite an exceptional example of the Uva variety 6 CEYLON UVA ST JAMES PEKOE CEYLON CEYLON 12 ORANGE VALLEY FIRST FLUSH The infused tea has a light amber colour, with a little more strength and less greenness than many First Flush teas. It has some dryness on the palate and a good muscatel flavour, with a subtle sweetness in the aftertaste 13 GOOMTEE FIRST FLUSH DJ 2 FTGFOP1 Light in the cup, smooth and refreshing with a classic seasonal Uva character, this tea is slightly fragrant but not overpowering Goomtee has a classic First Flush character, combining a touch of greenness with a good level of astringency 7 MAGNOLIA PHOENIX DANCONG The Chinese name for this tea is Yu Lan Xiang (magnolia flower aroma). The flavour is completely natural to the area and its bush varieties - no flowers are added to flavour the tea. This tea is produced in late October, the peak period for teas of this type, and is highroasted, so it can be stored for a long time. The taste is delicate and smooth, with a subtle floral aroma and sweet aftertaste 14 JUNGPANA SECOND FLUSH DJ 56 FTGFOP1 Classic vintage Second Flush tea, from one of Darjeeling s most famous tea gardens. Amber in colour, with a good balance of smoothness and dryness, rounded off by an excellent soft muscatel character 15 TUMSONG SPECIAL FIRST FLUSH 8 PREMIUM ANHUI KEEMUN The Maofeng variety has a larger twisted leaf and lighter taste than most traditional Keemun teas. The infusion is rich, sweet and velvety, and very good with milk or a little honey A truly elegant First Flush tea, light in the cup and a little greenish. The classic dry character is balanced by a hint of natural sweetness 16 MARGARET S HOPE SECOND FLUSH 9 YUNNAN GOLDEN BUDS Yunnan tea is well known for its smoothness and sweetness. This golden bud variety has no astringency at all, and has a delicate floral and honey aroma 10 JIN MAO HOU GOLDEN MONKEY Golden Monkey (Jin Mao Hou) black tea is named after the appearance of the leaves, whose curled golden tips resemble monkeys tails. It has a rich flavour with hints of fruitiness and caramel. There is an underlying sweetness with no bitterness or astringency 11 BANNOCKBURN FIRST FLUSH The hills and valleys in Darjeeling present a steep yet nurturing environment for the very best Darjeeling, with Bannockburn famous for its fresh and fruity notes and mellow undertones of honey This beautiful 100 year old garden was named after its owners daughter in 1927, today it is still creating a truly elegant Second Flush tea with a golden liquor and pronounced classic muscatel character 17 TREGOTHNAN It s fitting that the first truly English tea is now available from Fortnum & Mason. The single estate is the very First Flush to be picked and has a clean, dry flavour reminiscent of a traditional Darjeeling 18 THURBO SECOND FLUSH This is a full-bodied Second Flush tea, with a muscatel flavour that comes through the aroma very prominently 19 LINGIA FIRST FLUSH A truly elegant first flush tea, this is light in the cup and a little greenish, clean and freshtasting. The classic dry muscatel character is balanced by a hint of natural sweetness. A tea with real finesse, for Darjeeling connoisseurs ENGLAND 4 5

4 Oolong Teas Green Teas 20 FORMOSA POUCHONG TAIWAN 27 IMPERIAL MING MEI A wonderful example of a Formosa Pouchong, it is delicate, refreshing and slightly grassy. The dry leaf is surprisingly dark, a great deal darker than many Oolongs, and with plenty of silver tip. Ming Mei is a famous green tea from Jiangxi province. The aroma is clean and sweet with only a small hint of bitterness for balance and has a refreshing light floral aftertaste 21 GANDE VILLAGE TIE GUANYIN 28 IMPERIAL WEST LAKE LONG JING This Tie Guan Yin is processed using traditional techniques in a small village high in the mountains of Anxi County, Fujian Province. It has the distinctive Tie Guanyin pale colour and orchard like fragrance, coupled with a velvety mouth feel and lingering aftertaste In the famous West Lake region these tea leaves are pressed by hand in a wok to remove final moisture and develop their distinctive shape and flavour. Famous for its chestnut floral aroma and sweet flavour 29 HANDMADE DONGTING BI LUO CHUN 22 WUDONG DANCONG OOLONG HONEY ORCHID Our tea comes from Dapping Village, at the top of Wudong Mountain where the high altitude results in tea with a particularly good flavour. The leaves need to be infused several times and gradually release a rich sweet flavour 23 WUDONG DANCONG OOLONG GARDENIA VARIETY Long twisted dark leaves with hints of yellow. Bright golden liquor with a slight roasted character, a strong floral fragrance and sweet lingering flavour. This tea is also delicious if allowed to cool, when the flavours become even more pronounced Orginating from West Island in Tai Lake near Suzhou, the flavour is light and slightly sweet,and develops on the second and third infusions. It has a subtle aroma and the delicate leaves must be treated with care whilst infusing 30 LIU AN GUA PIAN Liu An Gua Pian is listed as one of the top 10 teas in China with dark flattened leaves and touches of emerald green. It has a very sweet taste with floral notes 31 YUNNAN SNOW DRAGON Somewhere between a Green tea and a Silver Needle White tea. The twisted and downy leaves are harvested during the last frosts at the start of spring. Very mild and mellow 24 ZHENGYAN ROU GUI CINNAMON OOLONG As with all roasted Oolongs, the flavour develops over multiple infusions with the initial roasted charcoal taste giving way to a complex mix of flavours with an underlying sweetness 32 ANJI BAICHA Anji Baicha means Anji White Tea but this is in fact a very fine green tea. The leaves are shaped into bright green needles and the flavour is fresh and sweet 25 ORIENTAL BEAUTY A darker, more oxidised Oolong. Some hints of black tea character, but also some floral and slightly woody notes 33 FINEST GYOKURO These dark, polished leaves are typical of the Gyokuro style. A deep flavour accompanied by a sweet undertone JAPAN 26 BANYAN QILAN WUYI 34 SEOWANG GREEN SOUTH KOREA This is a classic roasted oolong, baked extremely slowly using charcoal, which only arrives in the local market in August of every year. The new tea needs to breathe for a while, so that the charcoal aroma diminishes and the underlying sweetness develops. It has a complex flavour, with early roasted notes giving way to a lingering sweet aftertaste In comparison to mainland Korea, the island of Jeju-Do has a very favourable climate for tea growing with subtropical climate conditions. The infused tea is very bright in colour, with some similarities to Japanese green varieties with a slightly milder, more fragrant flavour 6 7

5 35 ZHANG HIGH MOUNTAIN LONG JING This tea is famous for its chestnut floral aroma and sweet flavour. This Imperial grade is the best variety available Classic Teas Fortnum s Famous Blends 36 PURPLE BAMBOO SHOOT ZHI SUN CHA Zhi Sun was the imperial tribute tea during the Tang Dynasty and was regarded as the best tea ever by the Tea Saint Lu Yu. The tea has a very pleasing appearance, with just a hint of purple tinge on some of the leaves. The flavour is light and sweet, with floral orchid aroma Classic World Teas Aromatic Black Teas Flavoured Black Teas Yellow Teas 37 HUANG YA CHA YELLOW BUDS This is a very rare tea from Yunnan comprising only delicate golden buds. The tea is pale gold and mellow, with a sweet flavour that has hints of apricot and pear. This is a very special tea Green Teas Flavoured Green Teas CLASSIC TEAS White Tea 38 JASMINE DRAGON PEARLS Fortnum s Famous Blends These pearls are made using small leaves from white tea bushes in Fuding. The tightly rolled balls are repeatedly scented with fresh jasmine blossoms, creating the beautifully fragrant pearls. The colour is pale; the flavour is delicate and has a wonderful light smoky jasmine aroma 41 ROYAL BLEND In this classic Fortnum s blend, low-grown Flowery Pekoe from Ceylon lends an uplifting note to the maltier Assam to make a very traditional cup of tea BLENDED 39 SILVER PEONY KING SPECIAL AA This AA grade has a high content of buds and only young leaves, giving it a very fine flavour. The infused tea is pale gold in colour, with a mellow flavour 42 BREAKFAST BLEND This is a robust, malty leaf tea from unblended Assam, the broken leaves make a strong brew with a malty, full-bodied flavour BLENDED 40 JINGGU OLD TREE MOONLIGHT WHITE 43 QUEEN ANNE BLEND BLENDED This tea is made from large leaf trees in Jinggu which are left to wilt under moonlight until completely dried. During this lengthy drying process, the leaves develop a fascinating, almost reminiscent of rich fruit cake. The initial infused tea is golden in colour with a light but interesting distinctive flavour; later infusions will be more red and have a more deep complex flavour Created in 1907, our bicentenary year, this popular blend commemorates the reigning sovereign in the year that Fortnum & Mason first began. The smooth blend of carefully selected TGFOP Assam and Ceylon FBOP teas produces a strong, smooth tea 8 9

6 44 IRISH BREAKFAST A bracing blend of expertly selected Assam and Kenyan teas - the first provides maltiness, the second adds brightness BLENDED 51 FTGFOP Made from leaf tips of the highest quality, this large leaf Darjeeling has a subtle muscatel taste and a full-bodied and robust character 45 AFTERNOON BLEND This blend of teas from the higher and lower regions of Ceylon delivers a light, refreshing flavour with real body 46 WEDDING BREAKFAST BLEND A special blend created especially to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton. Large leaf Assam TGFOP1 and Eastern Kenyan (the country chosen for the Royal Proposal) orange pekoe, combine to create a rich refreshing brew Classic World Teas 47 ASSAM TGFOP Made from the delicate leaf tips of the Assam tea bush, this tea is full-bodied with a robust character 48 ASSAM SUPERB Assam tea, indigenous to India s steamy Brahmaputra Valley, is one of the world s oldest varieties. The aptly named Assam Superb has the rich, dark liquor and smooth, round,malty flavour prized by the connoisseur. Full of body and flavour, it is ideal at any time of the day BLENDED BLENDED BLENDED 52 YUNNAN In China s Yunnan Province, tea still grows as wild as the day it earned the accolade as the home of tea. The liquor is strong, malty, coppy and pleasantly distinctive 53 KEEMUN This small, delicate leaf provides a rich, brown, lightly scented and almost nutty liquor that is terrific on its own but also takes extremely well to milk, which brings out its extraordinary smoothness 54 RUSSIAN CARAVAN This blend of China Black Keemun and Oolong teas recalls the ancient trading routes that brought tea to the Tsars, when tea was transported from China to Russia in a caravan of camels. It has a light, almost nutty flavour and distinct character Aromatic Black Teas 55 EARL GREY CLASSIC Made up of a simple black tea flavoured with aromatic and stimulating oil of bergamot, Earl Grey is a true classic 49 CEYLON OP Orange Pekoe denotes a large-leaved tea, and the dark, even leaves of this tea are indicative of a really good Ceylon. Bright, crisp and fullbodied 56 SMOKY EARL GREY Created in response to a request from the Palace for a smokier Earl Grey, this unique blend combines traditional bergamot with a touch of Lapsang and Gunpowder tea, combining the best qualities of all three 50 BOP This justly famous black tea from the bracing foothills of the Himalayas has a vivid, coppery infusion. The broken leaf grade gives a stronger brew that suits those who prefer to take their Darjeeling with milk 57 LAPSANG SOUCHONG To give this tea its unmistakable flavour, the plucked leaves are withered over pine fires, pan-dried and rolled and placed in bamboo baskets and smoked over smouldering pinewood fires, resulting in a smoky, rich and evocative flavour 10 11

7 58 FORTMASON This blend of Indian and China teas is perfumed with the delicate aroma of orange blossom to produce a subtle, floral flavour 59 CHAI This ancient recipe of black tea spiced with Indian herbs and spices produces a warm, soothing drink that will soothe and satisfy, wonderful with milk and sugar 60 COUNTESS GREY A twist on the traditional bergamot infused blend, Countess Grey is based on well-twisted Orange Pekoe teas, lifted by classic bergamot and a light orange flavour. It has a light and delicate character Flavoured Black Teas Green Tea 66 GUNPOWDER The tightly rolled leaves first resemble gunpowder pellets, which uncurl when brewed to give an unexpectedly peaceful and delicate tea 67 GREEN CEYLON Once picked, the leaves are pan-fired before being rolled to give their distinctive appearance. The resulting brew is light and bright with the harmonious character familiar to lovers of Ceylon 68 GREEN The distinctive muscatel notes of Darjeeling emerge clearly from this select blend of unoxidised leaves 61 TEA WITH STRAWBERRY The delicious taste of this classic summer fruit fused with black China tea makes an unusually refreshing drink 62 TEA WITH APPLE This is a warmly refreshing drink made with China black tea flavoured with the most English of fruits 63 TEA WITH LEMON Sicilian lemons lend this black China tea a warm aroma and generous flavour 69 GREEN SENCHA It has a delicate and sweet aroma and a flavour of fresh grassy meadows, with a mild astringency that adds a lively note Flavoured Green Teas 70 GREEN EARL GREY CLASSIC A blend of oriental green teas delicately scented with bergamot oil, this is lighter in character than regular Earl Grey but just as good 64 TEA WITH PEACH Real fruit pieces and a carefully selected blend of China teas make this an appealing and naturally sweet beverage any time of the day 65 TEA WITH CRANBERRY This invigorating black tea is infused with a delicate fruit flavour to make a gentle but effective pick-me-up 71 GREEN JASMINE This carefully selected green tea is allowed to absorb the natural scent of jasmine to produce an orangey-gold liquid with a delicate taste and alluring fragrance 72 GREEN TEA WITH APPLE Real apple and the best green tea combine in a creation that evokes a very English kind of paradise 12 13

8 73 GREEN TEA WITH GINGER This blend of carefully selected green tea is combined with the warming, stimulating properties of ginger to create a drink that is both invigorating and refreshing 74 GREEN TEA WITH ELDERFLOWER Fragrant elderflower is a worthwhile companion to the best green tea, as the complementary flavours combine to create an especially subtle and distinctive drink 75 MOROCCAN MINT Adding pure, roughly torn peppermint leaves to gunpowder tea follows a traditional recipe that is still all the rage in the swankier bazaars of Fez and Casablanca. Delicate yet refreshing Herbal Infusions 76 CAMOMILE Camomile is known for its calming qualities, and makes a delicately perfumed infusion 77 MANUKA Aromatic with a taste of honey, it makes a sweet and unusual drink 78 NETTLE Best known for delivering nasty stings, nettle in fact makes a delicious infusion. Slightly bitter and very refreshing infusion 79 PEPPERMINT Peppermint tea has a long history, often recommended for improving the digestion and refreshing the palate. A light, aromatic and pleasantly minty infusion 80 FENNEL INFUSION Pungently aniseed but with a delicate flavour, fennel tea has a delicious astringency 81 LEMON VERBENA This refreshing tea is made from the cut leaves of pure Lemon Verbena, which release a wonderful rich lemon scent and flavour when infused HERBAL INFUSIONS 14 15

9 Highgrove Organic Teas 82 PRINCE OF WALES BLEND Golden Assams give the blend its body, with a deep, rich and robust character, with an added hint of malt. Contrasting light, bright and lively high grown and deeper, fuller and less dry lower grown Ceylon teas are added and, when combined, the blend has a wonderfully smooth and rounded flavour that is perfect with a with a very regal splash of milk, giving it a wonderful golden brightness 83 TEMPLE BLEND Unashamedly biased toward the full-bodied, rich and robust flavours of Assam, with their unmistakable malt tones. A little mellow Ceylon tea is then added to give the blend a smooth finish. This classical combination makes for a fully flavoured Breakfast style blend, ideal with a splash of milk and not just for breakfast time! 84 HIGHGROVE HOUSE BLEND To bear the Highgrove name this blend deserves the finest teas, and hence Darjeeling gives this blend its signature flavour crisp, dry and subtly muscatel. Teas from neighbouring Assam and close-relation Ceylon add depth and colour to the blend. The result is a unique character of crisp Darjeeling underlined by a fuller, deeper body with a pale golden brightness. Can be equally enjoyed with or without a splash of milk 85 EARL GREY BLEND A twist on the classic Earl Grey recipe, our blend combines the traditionally used China black teas with lighter, gently steamed, green tea also from China. This gives the Highgrove Earl Grey a lighter base so that the full flavour of bergamot can come through. Can be equally enjoyed on its own, with a splash of milk, or even with a slice of lemon 17 HIGHGROVE TEAS

10 Coffees &Hot Chocolates FOR COFFEE CONNOISSEURS If your preference is for coffee, rather than tea, we are delighted to offer you a choice of our famous coffees Double Espresso 3.95 Cappuccino 3.95 Hot Chocolate 5.00 FILTER COFFEE 5.25 King s Blend Organic Fortnum & Mason Decaffeinated