The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
High Tea takes its name from a ritual that defines British culture: the pause between afternoon and evening, when tea is taken and the day loosens its grip. The Signatures collection gave Maïa Lernout a canvas to work with, and she built a composition that speaks both of fields and of refinement. Bergamot and clary sage open the conversation, bright and aromatic, the bergamot delivering citrus clarity while the sage adds an herbal lift that keeps the opening lifted rather than sweet. Then the heart arrives: maté, with its green and slightly smoky character, paired against neroli's floral citrus. The combination creates a deliberate tension, herbal and floral at once, neither note dominating completely.
What makes this composition unusual is the combination of maté with lavender. Mate brings a yerba mate quality: green, slightly bitter, almost smoky. It sits against the lavender like an unexpected guest at a garden party. Neroli softens the pairing, adding its own floral-citrus warmth. The result is a heart that feels herbal and alive, not the quiet floral heart you might expect. Then the base arrives: Venezuelan tonka bean lending its warm coumarin sweetness, Ambroxan adding a clean, skin-close ambergris effect, and Somalian frankincense bringing a whisper of resinous depth. The drydown is gentle and intimate, lasting through the afternoon and into the evening without ever becoming loud.
The evolution
The opening hits bright and aromatic: bergamot's citrus clarity, clary sage's herbal lift, and Roman chamomile softening the edges just enough. The bergamot provides a clean citrus foundation while the clary sage adds an aromatic dimension that keeps things from feeling too sweet. The Roman chamomile brings a subtle floral quality that rounds out the top notes, creating an impression of freshness without sharpness. As the fragrance develops, the maté arrives with its green, slightly smoky character, bringing depth and complexity to the composition. The mate and neroli create a tension that feels deliberate, herbal and floral at once. The drydown belongs to tonka bean and ambroxan. Warm, powdery, close to the skin. The longevity holds for most of the day. If you're looking for something that fills a room, this isn't it.
Cultural impact
High Tea arrived in 2023 as part of Burberry's Signatures collection, offering a different take on the lavender note than the soap-and-sachet version most people know. The composition brings together elements that reference both countryside gardens and refined interiors, creating something that feels familiar yet fresh. The interplay between the bright top notes and the herbaceous heart gives the fragrance a complexity that rewards attention, while the warm drydown ensures it lingers without overwhelming.
