So I had a little giggle over this tea… partially because the owner/master blender at The O Dor, originally worked at Mariages Freres. I find the description of this tea on their website to be a bit cheeky:
“It reminds you something? You think you know it? Nothing of the kind …Your jealousy is out of bound…How to say? This one is much better, deeper, more balanced and somehow far more subtle. You speak ill of it because you know much too well… It is only a coincidence if you pretend loving a similar one. Anyway, this one is mine and I don’t like sharing.”
Now, I can only speculate, BUT I sense he’s talking about Marco Polo, Mariages most famous flavoured black tea. Very very cheeky Parisian, that master blender.
I brewed this at 95C for 6 mins, as I feel I need a little more robustness in my black teas. The instructions call for 85 for 3-5 mins, as it seems with most of the The O Dor flavoured black blends.
At first sniff: This tea smells very fruity with subtle hints of vanilla and reminds me very much of Marco Polo… with the information above, I wonder why. Fruity, vanilla goodness.
At first taste: This tea again mirrors Marco Polo but with some other subtle notes. The O Dor is good a subtle hints of other flavours. I’m tasting nutty of some sort, but nothing strong like hazelnut though. Might be almond (almond extract maybe?)
I love this tea with milk and sugar (or stevia as of late.) I guess I personally appreciate the more subtle and delicate flavours, as some people knock The O Dor for their “weak” tastes. Depending on the day, I like in your face teas, but usually I like more elegant and refined flavours that have depth to them.
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oh dear, I had noticed that description. Very very cheeky but now it makes me curious!
I don´t find The o Dor flavours at all weak – got a few packages fresh from their store and they are amazing. Though if the flavours are natural, as I think they are, the flavours will age. Getting tea from a large package opened 18 months ago at one store will be weaker flavoured tea. (Maybe that is the problem I have had with place saint marc).
My tea is all older, I can’t lie about that. But I have never thought the flavours to be weak or dull. Even with myaged tea. I think a lot of other tea companies rely on artificial flavour and so the tea is a bit more pungent. You’re so lucky to have a store near you. I’d go there every day is another retailer in Canada decided to carry it.
unfortunately I got no place nearby to by live loose tea. There was a shop which had a few and where I bought my first of their teas, but unfortunately it closed. But I got some teas directly from them at their little cute Paris store and was stroke by how much intense the fresh packages of some of what i bought was than the already marvelous versions I had bought before. In Une Autre Idee (which is a glorious rooibos) it was pretty noticeable, in others as well.
Mind you, this might affect loose by the weight tea more, I think tins are more impervious! And another brand I like very much and also uses all natural flavourings has the same “problem” – it is lovely tea in all stages but intensity does decline. It´s not a bug, just a feature.
oh dear, I had noticed that description. Very very cheeky but now it makes me curious!
I don´t find The o Dor flavours at all weak – got a few packages fresh from their store and they are amazing. Though if the flavours are natural, as I think they are, the flavours will age. Getting tea from a large package opened 18 months ago at one store will be weaker flavoured tea. (Maybe that is the problem I have had with place saint marc).
My tea is all older, I can’t lie about that. But I have never thought the flavours to be weak or dull. Even with myaged tea. I think a lot of other tea companies rely on artificial flavour and so the tea is a bit more pungent. You’re so lucky to have a store near you. I’d go there every day is another retailer in Canada decided to carry it.
unfortunately I got no place nearby to by live loose tea. There was a shop which had a few and where I bought my first of their teas, but unfortunately it closed. But I got some teas directly from them at their little cute Paris store and was stroke by how much intense the fresh packages of some of what i bought was than the already marvelous versions I had bought before. In Une Autre Idee (which is a glorious rooibos) it was pretty noticeable, in others as well.
Mind you, this might affect loose by the weight tea more, I think tins are more impervious! And another brand I like very much and also uses all natural flavourings has the same “problem” – it is lovely tea in all stages but intensity does decline. It´s not a bug, just a feature.