Writers’ group met last night and when offered drinks (Mexican Coke in glass bottles, milk, water, hot tea), they all picked tea. When pressed further they decided on a fruity black.
Here I have a question. I offered Boston which I used to adore and they were hesitant. Thing is, is doesn’t smell the same! My husband HATES the smell of Harney teas that contain chocolate. He says it smells like mildew. He even tossed a shirt near White Christmas and later said his shirt smelled funny, like the chocolate. Boston and White Christmas are not supposed to have chocolate flavor but they both now contain that smell. I am wondering if it could actually be imitation vanilla and not their chocolate flavoring at all, and they have started using it because vanilla prices are so high now? Why does my beloved Boston smell like fake Harney chocolate? His hatred extends to Florence, Chocolate, Chocolate Mint, and now these two.
Anyway, everyone preferred the smell of ToL and it was a big hit. The four of us drank two 35 ounce pots. It was super fruity but smooth and mild, no harsh high tones.
Ever since the last iOS update, my “hearts” on here are acting up, also. I click the heart and the number goes up but the heart doesn’t turn red, so I am not sure it was taking it. I click again and number goes down. I click again and heart is red and number goes back up. So now I just triple click until this gets worked out. I am sure it is my iPad and not the site.
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I haven’t had Boston in a really long time (though I used to ADORE it) – but if they switched the vanilla flavor to a cream flavour that could definitely come across as more of a waxy milk chocolate type flavour. I struggle a lot with some cream flavours used in tea blends (like DT’s Cream of Earl Grey) because it comes off as quite waxy and artificial to me. It’s also not uncommon at all to see chocolate and cream flavouring paired together in North American oriented chocolate blends (because the North American palate accepts creamy, rich chocolate flavours over the fruitier chocolate notes that are common to the European palate) so you could definitely develop a brain association with that cream flavour and chocolate.
It’s hard to say for sure without knowing what, if any, common flavourings are used in those blends (or possibly a common tea base?) and if a change was made to the Boston Blend – but all that to say your hubby probably isn’t nuts.
Oh, I deffo agree hubby isn’t nuts about this! I used to only smell the weird smell in Florence, Chocolate, and Choc Mint. It is now prominent in White Christmas, so much so that a friend with migraines who used to love White Christmas gave me her tin this year because she couldn’t stand the smell! And when hubby said the smell permeated his shirt – and it did for I could smell it too – the scent was leaking from a closed tin! That is how strong it is. I think you are right. They must have made a change to some of their flavorings. The Vieux Paris is imitation vanilla and I bought the story that people had requested the old version but now I wonder if it was a money saving move while vanilla is so high.
Hmm…I think I have just a dab of ancient ToL left. Now I’ll have to go smell it, just out of curiosity.
Boston is the one that has the funny smell now! ToL was what we drank instead.
I thought the Vieux Paris was supposed to be the older blend, not the newer? I haven’t tried it yet (keep wanting to order it though.)
Vieux Paris is newish but they say it is the original blend which had imitation vanilla. Many years ago they switched to real vanilla to flavor Paris. They said some people asked for “original” Paris back so they brought it back as Vieux Paris. I don’t know if it will stick around. I really wonder if it is just a lot cheaper to make now that vanilla bean prices went sky high.
OH okay. I see what you mean. I liked their older blend better I guess.
I haven’t had Boston in a really long time (though I used to ADORE it) – but if they switched the vanilla flavor to a cream flavour that could definitely come across as more of a waxy milk chocolate type flavour. I struggle a lot with some cream flavours used in tea blends (like DT’s Cream of Earl Grey) because it comes off as quite waxy and artificial to me. It’s also not uncommon at all to see chocolate and cream flavouring paired together in North American oriented chocolate blends (because the North American palate accepts creamy, rich chocolate flavours over the fruitier chocolate notes that are common to the European palate) so you could definitely develop a brain association with that cream flavour and chocolate.
It’s hard to say for sure without knowing what, if any, common flavourings are used in those blends (or possibly a common tea base?) and if a change was made to the Boston Blend – but all that to say your hubby probably isn’t nuts.
Oh, I deffo agree hubby isn’t nuts about this! I used to only smell the weird smell in Florence, Chocolate, and Choc Mint. It is now prominent in White Christmas, so much so that a friend with migraines who used to love White Christmas gave me her tin this year because she couldn’t stand the smell! And when hubby said the smell permeated his shirt – and it did for I could smell it too – the scent was leaking from a closed tin! That is how strong it is. I think you are right. They must have made a change to some of their flavorings. The Vieux Paris is imitation vanilla and I bought the story that people had requested the old version but now I wonder if it was a money saving move while vanilla is so high.
Hmm…I think I have just a dab of ancient ToL left. Now I’ll have to go smell it, just out of curiosity.
Boston is the one that has the funny smell now! ToL was what we drank instead.
I thought the Vieux Paris was supposed to be the older blend, not the newer? I haven’t tried it yet (keep wanting to order it though.)
Vieux Paris is newish but they say it is the original blend which had imitation vanilla. Many years ago they switched to real vanilla to flavor Paris. They said some people asked for “original” Paris back so they brought it back as Vieux Paris. I don’t know if it will stick around. I really wonder if it is just a lot cheaper to make now that vanilla bean prices went sky high.
OH okay. I see what you mean. I liked their older blend better I guess.