Bouquet de Fleurs N°108 – Earl Grey with Ylang-Ylang

Bouquet de Fleurs N°108 by Kusmi Tea, the House's Oldest Blend Since 1880

Bouquet de Fleurs N°108 is the very first blend from the Kusmi Tea House, created in 1880 by Pavel Kousmichoff to celebrate the birth of his eldest daughter, Elisabeth. A floral Earl Grey with a black tea base, flavored with bergamot, lemon, lime, orange, mandarin, and the delicate floral notes of ylang-ylang blossom. Loose-leaf in a 100g tin, organic. Floral, fruity, elegant.

Bouquet de Fleurs N°108 by Kusmi Tea is the house's historic original blend – created in 1880 by founder Pavel Mikhailovich Kousmichoff in Saint Petersburg, to celebrate the birth of his eldest daughter, Elisabeth. The recipe is based on an Earl Grey black tea, refined with natural flavors of bergamot, lemon, lime, orange, and mandarin, as well as the delicate floral aroma of tropical ylang-ylang blossom. An Earl Grey in its most floral, playful form.

Amber-colored, citrus-fresh, and florally balanced

Upon opening the round metal tin, a veritable bouquet unfolds: the distinctive bergamot aroma of Earl Grey, amplified by a chord of lemon, lime, orange, and mandarin, topped with the delicately exotic ylang-ylang blossom, cherished in perfumery for its finest heart notes. The tea leaves are dark, uniformly rolled, and the scent is more captivating than any classic Earl Grey – floral, fruity, multi-faceted.

In the cup, Bouquet de Fleurs displays a light amber hue. The first sip is lighter and more ethereal than classic Earl Grey, the citrus fruits playfully evoke a summer's day in the garden, while ylang-ylang provides a warm, blossom-rich background reminiscent of orange blossoms and jasmine, without being them exactly. A tea for those who love Earl Grey yet long for something more fragrant – fragrant, soft, elegant.

Afternoons in the garden or with pastries sprinkled with flower sugar

The Bouquet de Fleurs is the most floral of Kusmi's Russian classics and is ideal for afternoon tea parties in spring and summer. It pairs well with rose macarons and violet candies, lime madeleines and lemon cake, shortbread with lavender, or a slice of sponge cake with orange glaze. Served as iced tea in summer with fresh garden flower ice cubes, it particularly reveals its fragrant and floral side.

It is best to drink Bouquet de Fleurs plain so that the delicate floral and citrus notes can fully unfold. Milk masks the subtle ylang-ylang, and sugar is usually unnecessary – the mandarin already brings a natural sweetness. A splash of lemon can further enhance the citrus palette but is not essential. For a pot, you'll need about 2 tablespoons of loose tea per liter, steeped in 90 °C hot water for 3 to 4 minutes.

The Russian quartet of Kusmi classics: the floral Bouquet de Fleurs (1880), the spicy Prince Wladimir (1888) with orange and clove, the citrus-fresh Anastasia with bergamot and orange blossom, and the sweet-caramel Sankt Petersburg with red fruits and vanilla.

Elisabeth Kousmichoff and the Birth of a Tea Tradition

The story of Kusmi Tea begins in 1867 in Saint Petersburg, where 21-year-old Pavel Mikhailovich Kousmichoff opens his own tea house. In 1880, his eldest daughter Elisabeth is born, and for this occasion, her father composes a floral-fruity tea blend, which he numbers 108: the Bouquet de Fleurs. The blend soon becomes the favorite tea of the Russian Tsar and establishes the tradition of Kusmi's own house blends, later joined by Prince Wladimir (1888) and Anastasia.

After the Russian Revolution, the family flees to Paris in 1917, where Kusmi Tea is still based today. Since 2017, almost all teas are organically grown, and the essential oils and aromas are 100% natural. Bottling takes place in the modern factory in Le Havre. In our Kusmi Tea collection, you'll find an overview of all blends.