u/Rotidder007

have you been able to find a true dupe that brings you right back to 80s/90s smooth and round Twinings Orange Pekoe Tea?

I have faith that with all the blends and options out there, from local teashops to direct imports to mass-produced popular brands, SOMEONE must have reproduced the old Twinings Orange Pekoe Tea flavor profile by now.

So far, I’ve tried the following (the last 3 based on some internet suggestions) and none have been a close match:

1. The post-Orange Pekoe Tea blends from Twinings - Ceylon Pure Black Tea and Ceylon Orange Pekoe Tea
2. Chami Ceylon Black tea
3. Tetley Orange Pekoe
4. Red Rose Orange Pekoe (regular Red Rose tastes more like the old Twinings Orange Pekoe, imo)

Beyond these, I’ve hesitated to blindly buy Ceylon or Orange Pekoe teas. I’m considering buying the Harney & Sons Ceylon & India Orange Pekoe because they seem to lean into the classic era Twinings flavor profiles (I’m convinced I could have made my own “Paris” back in the 1980s had I thought to add Twinings Blackcurrant and Earl Grey to the same pot!) But other than that one, everything else seems like a crap shoot.

And yes, I know Orange Pekoe is just a grade of tea and not a flavor, but anyone who used to drink Twinings’ Orange Pekoe Tea knows that despite what the brand claims about the blend not changing, it’s clear that the flavor of the teas going into that blend are more blunt and bitter than the good old days.

TIA!!