Vanilla

A Long Journey

The creation of this blend draws its inspiration from the great Tea Races that ignited the 19th century. As early as 1866, clipper ships, those sailing ships as slender as blades, were engaged in a mad race: to bring the new tea harvests from China back to London as quickly as possible. Among them, the legendary Cutty Sark, a ship with daring sails, cleaved the oceans in search of speed and prestige.



Who says tea says… vanilla

But it wasn't just tea that traveled in the holds of these sailing ships. Vanilla, cocoa, and precious spices, sometimes hidden in small bundles between two crates of tea, were among the treasures brought back from these distant lands. Among them: Bourbon vanilla, cultivated in Madagascar and the islands of the Indian Ocean, was one of the most precious commodities. Sensitive to humidity and demanding care, it traveled only in modest quantities, but sufficient to delight European palates.



A Setting for an Inimitable Jewel

At Betjeman and Barton, vanilla is featured in many blends, from the most floral to the most indulgent: Eden Rose, Fidji, Les Classiques, and even Il était une fois Noël. But it needed a dedicated showcase, worthy of its richness. Vanille was born from this requirement: a pure, unvarnished tribute to the very essence of the pod.