Trying out the new Fortnum's Caviar Tea, a real treat-yourself moment

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The full spread of the Fortnum's Caviar Tea

So this is a new kind of afternoon tea, is it?

Obviously, Fortnum & Mason is one of the best places to go and enjoy a classic afternoon tea. But even an iconic store such as theirs likes to shake things up a bit, and a few months ago they introduced a brand new tea experience to their repertoire. The Caviar Tea can either be ordered on its own or if, quite understandably, you fancy both caviar and cakes, you can have this as a savoury starter course to the main event.

Where are we having it?

The tea is served up in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon on the fourth floor of the flagship store on Piccadilly. It's honestly one of our favourite places to take a proper afternoon tea, complete with gorgeous china tableware and even a pianist, tinkling the ivories.

Right now, the salon is all dressed up for the festive season.

What exactly is on offer?

Your first choice starts with deciding which of the two caviars you're going for. The menu gives you two options, golden oscietra or beluga OOO. There's a choice of 30g or 50g tins, and for the purposes of journalism, you understand, we tried both.

Now Fortnum's have been selling caviar to the rich and famous since the mid-19th century, so they know a thing or two about finding the best. Theirs is sourced from farms in Belgium, China and France and cured using the Malossi method, which is "a low-salt technique that enhances flavour and prolongs freshness without masking the caviar’s natural character."

A spoonful of caviar on one of the teeny, stuffed baked potatoes.

What comes with the caviar?

This is the best bit. The tea also includes as many of the tiny, freshly made sourdough crumpets as you can manage, along with baked stuffed mini potatoes, quails' eggs and creme fraiche with chives. Those crumpets were the stuff of dreams; we're already trying to work out how to make them ourselves at home.

The trio of accompaniments that accompany the caviar.

What are we drinking?

You can have any tea you like with this, but we were guided towards the Gyokoro green tea, which has one of those umami-rich flavours that goes particularly well with caviar.

The lurid green Gyokoro tea is an ultra-premium Japanese tea, also known as Jade Dew.

We also had to have a glass of Fortnum's own Gran Cru Champagne (£23.50 a glass).

Anything else we should know?

While somewhere like Fortnum's isn't somewhere you usually eat with your hands, let alone off your hands, the caviar expert here told us to try both the caviars as a 'bump' using the warmth of our skin to showcase the caviar's flavour profile.

Caviar bumps are positively encouraged here.

Overall thoughts

Obviously afternoon tea at Fortnum's is its own joy, but this new addition really lifts the whole experience to a new level. If you have someone you want to give a serious treat to over the coming months, or simply fancy treating yourself, this couldn't be a better present.