Sniffing and sipping is strongly encouraged at Parisian import Le Palais des Thés (194 Columbus Ave., nr. 68th St.; 646-664-1902). The tea-centric boutique, landing Stateside on November 15, will carry basic green and black, of course, but founder Francois-Xavier Delmas’s specialties are rarer leaves culled from far-flung plantations and experimental blends, like his rose-berry-and-orange-flower-infused green tea inspired by the baths of Istanbul. Some 84 varieties will line the 300-square-foot shop, along with photos from Delmas’s travels and a gift section that includes loose-leaf tins ($23) and boxed sets of muslin tea bags ($49). A second location, in Soho, is set to open next month, and regionally themed tastings are in the works.