I tried this tea in the bagged form as it was part of a set of THE O DOR teas that I had purchased. When I opened the outer plastic bag, the first thing I smelled was bergamot – which while I like a hint of it, I’m not a huge fan of overall (I leave the strong Earl Grey drinking to my husband – Gteppel – who likes Earl Grey the stronger the better). Then there was a slight aroma of sweet vanilla and florals that I couldn’t put my finger on (the box says marigold and jasmine).
After 4 minutes of brewing (I usually like THE O DOR teas brewed up to their upper suggested time), the bergamot aroma was substantially subdued and the vanilla in the tea came out much more.
Upon tasting, the bergamot was definitely still there, but was as subdued as the aroma suggested. Soft but slightly sweet vanilla rounds out the flavour and the finish of the tea leaves just the slightest hint of jasmine. I didn’t find this tea bitter at all (though it does have a dry tannic quality), I’m not sure if that’s because I brewed the tea longer than previous reviewers or because of some other reason. If you’re looking for a softly bergamot-flavored tea, then this would be a great introduction to that family of flavored teas for sure. It most definitely would also hold up to cream and a neutral flavoured sweetener (sugar).
Overall, this is a delicious tea and I would stock it in my cupboard, but it’s no longer being carried locally, so would have to be shipped in from France (though I may still look into that option if it’s not crazy expensive). Until then, I’ll savour the bags I have left!
