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This is a special tea to me because when I first read about it, it was only available as sachets in the Historic Royal Palaces tin, but it was sold out everywhere. Ashman googled like mad and found it at some little gift shop and ordered it for our anniversary.

Shortly after that, I pestered the Harney FB page for loose leaf and Mike himself finally replied in a public comment to me that he was about to blend some and would make a pound loose just for me if I would DM my info. Several people immediately commented that they wanted a pound, too, and he commented, “We hear you, here is a link.” They made it available loose leaf ever since!

Hurray, ashmanra, for being the reason that this is now available in the form we like! Well done! Thank you!

You’re welcome! But not just me, ha ha! I was glad his comment was public so other folks jumped on the bandwagon. One woman even requested one pound for herself and a pound for her mother to be delivered at intervals. Ha ha! I think it was the eagerness of all of us combined that swayed him.

Still, you are a large part of the story. I’ll just stay with that.

:)

Also, throwing a box of free delicious shortbread cookies into a tea order is brilliant.

Oh that’s great to know, ashmanra – Tower of London is one of the RARE teas I actually have a tin of.

Tower Of London is delicious and similar to Paris which I love as well. I have a tin of Boston I’m still working on finishing but wish it was Tower Of London. (: Also free shortbread cookies? yum

Yeah, those cookies are long gone, but I may need to order some more.

This is one of those teas from Harney that I so want to love because it sounds amazing, but I just don’t get it. A lot of others love it though!

I loved it, and about a year or two ago my newest batch had the smell Ashman hates – he thought it was artificial chocolate but I think ti is artificial vanilla, and he smells it in Florence and Chocolate Mint, too. As much as I love Boston, I gave it away.

To me, it tastes like artificial chocolate, or a chocolate flavour I just don’t like. This batch is from the Canadian distributor, so I am wondering whether it’s been hanging around for a while and that’s the flavour. Maybe it’s artificial vanilla, as you say.

Or maybe, I just don’t love it.

And that sucks. It sucks even more because I got Florence too.

Do you think they changed the formula?

I have wondered if they had to switch to artificial vanilla because of the huge price increase for vanilla beans. They came out with Vieux Paris around the same time saying it was a return of their original Paris formula, and Vieux Paris, like the original Paris long long ago, has artificial vanilla. I did not find it hugely different from Paris and now that my Vieux Paris is gone I will order regular Paris again.

Ashman has always hated the smell of Florence and most chocolate teas from most companies. He says it smells like mildew to him and I can see it. He liked Cuppageek and other companies who use real cocao nibs and such.

Personally, I like Florence pretty well but I have not had it in years, so I don’t know if they have changed it. When the smell bothered him so much that he could walk in the house hours after I drank it and ask if I had “that tea” today, I just gave it away! Ha ha! He was distraught that I did, but I didn’t mind, since there are plenty of chocolate teas we both like.

Thank you, ashmanra, for your help and musings as I try to get to the bottom of this mystery. More thoughts coming. Stay tuned.

Hmm, in the box that my tins came in, Boston was sitting right right to Florence. Closed tins, mind you, but still. I haven’t tried the Florence yet. Not up to it after a day of tea with questionable flavouring.

Interesting! I look forward to your thoughts on Florence!

I really like Paris from H&H They also have a really nice Bartlett Pear tea.

Thanks for the tip, Lexie Aleah. They are on my list.

Ashmanra, after my initial experience with Boston, I am in no rush.