75
drank Celebration by THEODOR
303 tasting notes

This has been a bit of a revelation, to be honest – I have come to a realization. I’m just going to come right out and say it. I don’t need chocolate teas in my life.

Honestly, that’s pretty huge on a tea preferences scale, seeing as I love everything else chocolate. Seriously – chocolate is where it’s at.

But in a tea? No. I think this reflects my shift in tea preferences lately – I find myself craving lighter, greener, fruitier, less desserty teas. It might very well be a spring thing, but it’s definitely here to stay for now.

That much said, this is a deliciously elegant tea. I wouldn’t say the chocolate tea to end all other chocolate teas, because there are several flavour layers here, and a definite complexity beyond just the chocolate, but it’s definitely one of the better chocolates I’ve tried, if not the best. (Chocolate-orange will always have a special place in my heart, though.)

Nose wise, it jumps from lush in the bag to a little bland in the cup, but the flavour lands on the lush side of things.

Hazelnut, vanilla and chocolate are the three main taste notes for me, but in no particular order – this is a very playful brew, as each sip stacks the flavour chips a little differently. I’m sure this would kill with a dash of milk or cream, and as usual, I’m happy I never keep those in my fridge, because this would have gotten pretty decadent pretty fast.

It’s hard to rate this one, so keep in mind that this really is an excellent tea of its kind, and that my grade reflects preference rather than quality.

Many thanks to Ysaurella for not only letting me try some The O Dor, but helping me address complex existe(a)ntial quandaries in the process.

[Sample from Ysaurella, spring 2014.]

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 30 sec
Sil

nice! I’m not a huge fan of chocolate teas either… but give me caramel or let me die! haha

cteresa

This is nice but for some reason their The du Loup is my own ultimate chocolate tea

The o dor makes two black chocolate and hazelnut teas, and manages to make them both totally different in personality. The wolf tea is pretty special to me – sadly am out. It was the tea I ran out of the fastest ever!

Anna

Haha, I just read your reviews of Celebration and the wolf tea, cteresa.

cteresa

I tend to love better the first version I try, and the wolf was the first. But even so, I think The du Loup is a “special” tea. I was in Theodor´s adorable bijou little tea store in Paris and when I started to mention I wanted more of their chocolate tea the very lovely saleslady went “aahhhhh, thé du loup……” with an infatuated smile…

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Comments

Sil

nice! I’m not a huge fan of chocolate teas either… but give me caramel or let me die! haha

cteresa

This is nice but for some reason their The du Loup is my own ultimate chocolate tea

The o dor makes two black chocolate and hazelnut teas, and manages to make them both totally different in personality. The wolf tea is pretty special to me – sadly am out. It was the tea I ran out of the fastest ever!

Anna

Haha, I just read your reviews of Celebration and the wolf tea, cteresa.

cteresa

I tend to love better the first version I try, and the wolf was the first. But even so, I think The du Loup is a “special” tea. I was in Theodor´s adorable bijou little tea store in Paris and when I started to mention I wanted more of their chocolate tea the very lovely saleslady went “aahhhhh, thé du loup……” with an infatuated smile…

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Profile

Bio

I’m going to try all the teas.

Then I will choose a lucky few perfect specimens, and we will live happily together in my tea cupboard.

Forever.

* *

2015

This will be a year of in-betweenness and logistics. Where to put the teas. How to arrange the teas. Which teas to replenish – which ones to say goodbye to.

Still doing Project Green.
Still doing Project Jasmine.
Still doing Project Peach.

Dr. Tea is the name, I’m ahead of my game
still, steeping my leafs, still f*ck with the temps
still not loving Assam (uh-huh)
still rock my Bosch kettle with its high-pitched shriek
still got love for the greens, repping Lupicia
still the cup steams, still doing my thang
since I left, ain’t too much changed, still

(With apologies to Mr. Young.)

2014

This year, all bets are off. I am going to drink both peppermint and chamomile and possibly suffer a little. But it’s okay – it’s for science.

I’m doing Project Jasmine, Project Peach and Project Unflavoured Green.

In terms of flavoured teas, Lupicia and Mariage Frères have become my massive favourites, and I have learned that Dammann Frères/Fauchon/Hédiard and Butiki aren’t really for me.

The O Dor, Adagio and Comptoir des thés et des épices are all on this year’s I’d like to get to know you better list.

2013

Getting back into tea drinking last fall, I was all about rooibos. This past spring has been all green tea, all the time, with some white additions over the summer. Currently attempting a slow, autumnal graduation to black teas. Oolongs are always appropriate.

The constant for me, flavour wise, is the strong presence of fruity and floral notes. Vanilla is lush, as long as it’s not artificial. Peach, berries, mango. Cornflower, rose, lavender.

No peppermint.

No chamomile.

No cinnamon.

Ever.

* *

My ratings don’t reflect the ‘What does this tea do for me?’ standard, but rather my own ‘What would I do for this tea?’ scale.

100-90
My absolute favourites. Teas I would travel for – or, in any case, pay exuberant postage for, because they simply have to be in my cupboard. Generally multi-faceted teas with complex scents and flavours. Teas with personality. Tricky teas.

89-80
Teas I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again if and when I came across them. Tea purchases I would surreptitiously weave into a travel itinerary (Oh! A Lupicia store! Here?! My word!).

79-70
Teas I enjoyed, but don’t necessarily need to make any kind of effort to buy again.

69-0
Varying degrees of disinterest and contempt.

Location

Rome, Italy

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