Nadorcott is a high quality, mid to late-maturing Clementine-type of mandarin. It is a fruit with great depth of flavour and sweetness and a good acidity balance. The smooth, deep orange peel is fairly tightly adhering to the segments, but is easily removed. Nadorcott on sale in UK is practically seedless, but seeds can occassionally be found.
Nadacott is also known as Afourer (from Morocco) and is sometimes marketed under the ClemenGold brand, mainly during the South African season. The use of the name ClemenGold requires that certain quality parameters have been met before sales can take place. Clemcott is a name that is occasionally used in the Spanish season for Nadorcott, whereby they are guaranteed to be seedless.
Tangold (Tango) is the same fruit as Nadorcott, but is the result of budwood from a Nadorcott tree being treated with mild irradiation which effectively rendered it seedless.
Nadorcott is a lovely mandarin, easy to peel, sweet and with a good acid balance and depth of flavour. Early season Nadorcott can be quite tangy.
Rating: ****
Quality Check:
- Green tinge on peel: no problem
- Puffy or soft fruit: avoid
- Fruit should be firm with a fairly tight peel
Names: Nadorcott; Afourer.
Origin: The variety is the result of a chance cross-pollination of an unknown variety with Murcott Clementine. It was discovered in 1982 by El Bachir Nadori at an experimental station in Afourer, Morocco. The original discovery was a very seedy, though tasty fruit, but by 1988 a seedless version was being produced by isolating trees from cross pollination, which was then given the name Afourer.
Grown in: Nadorcott has become quite widespread to the extent that quite long marketing periods are possible. The main plantings exist in Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Argentina and South Africa.
Harvest & Availability:
- January: Morocco
- February: Spain, Portugal, Morocco
- March: Spain, Portugal, Morocco
- April: Spain, Portugal, Morocco
- May: Spain, Portugal, Morocco
- June: Spain, Portugal, Morocco
- July: South Africa, Peru
- August: South Africa, Peru
- September: South Africa, Peru
- October: South Africa, Peru
- November:
- December:
CallumSayerBro –
I love Nardorcott.
Annette Lawson –
I am nearly 85 and do not think I have ever had a Nadorcutt before this week. Where? In Amble, Northumberland at a new Independent food store on Queen Street. They are delicious. 50p each is good value. Bigger than most mandarins or clementines but not as big as most oranges. They peel easily like any clementine. No pips in mine.
Nick Ball –
Thank you, Annette,
Nadorcott is a wonderful mandarin with great depth of flavour and sweetness. They do come in all sizes and are now grown in sufficient volumes to be available all over the country. They start to reduce in eating quality in May, but are still sweet and juicy.
Regards,
Nick
Gary –
I recon these to be the best of all the small varieties. Been eating them for years and to be honest , I try not to buy anything else .consistent quality , juicy and always sweet .
And very good value in Aldi at the moment big bag ful for £1 .19 same in Sainsbury’s ,bigger fruit but not quite as juicy as the smaller ones . Get some today !! Just check the label as they also sell other varieties
Nick Ball –
Thanks, Gary. Indeed, Nadorcott is an excellent variety.
Martha Hooper –
I’ve been buying these nadorcott mandarins in Lidl and Tesco. They are sold in nets costing just 69p..cheap enough to scoff the lot on your own. So juicy and sweet. I love them, a really good buy for cash strapped people. Lovely for children. My only gripe is the nasty plastic nets. I would like to see disposable wood or card runners.
Nick Ball –
Hi Martha,
Nadorcott is a great variety, and is particularly sweet in April / May as the acidity drops a little to emphasise the sweetness.
I agree with your comment on packaging. However, the nets are very cheap for packers, so will continue to be used for the foreseeable future. There are good examples of fibreboard cartons being used in some supermarkets (e.g. Waitrose), but these will not compete with netted products on price.
Regards,
Nick Ball
Chris –
Found the perfect mandarin at last! Can’t stop eating them. Well done Nadorcott/Aldi!
Nick Ball –
Hi Chris,
Nadorcott is an excellent mandarin variety.
Nevelyn McCart –
I enjoyed my first Nadorcott a few days ago and loved it. It was displayed in a market stall in Partick, Glasgow, Scotland. Two ladies that stood by me at the stall were raving about how good the “Navecot” was. The vendor picked one up and sliced it in two. Gave me one half. So delicious I had to take 6 home with me. I googled Navicot and the only thing to come up was a brand of paint! So I googled Oranges crossed with … Discovered the real name is Nadorcott (or Afourer). Will certainly look out for these varieties when shopping at the outdoor market in Partick.
Nick Ball –
Nadorcott is certainly a great variety with all the depth of flavour and sweetness of a late-season mandarin. Afourer is the original name of the variety in Morocco, its origin. Nadorcott is the marketing name, and there is a seedless version is called Tangold. Navecot is a new one on me!
Thanks for your comment,
Nick Ball
Greg –
We got hooked on Afourer in Morocco in 2013. Every day we went to the street vendor to buy lots of the fresh fruit and gobbled it up like there was no tomorrow
Luckily, a couple of years later Afourer appeared in Australian supermarkets, so our supply is secure now.
Just to be sure, we planted one in the garden too, and the first fruits are on the tree this year.
Apart from its daddy Murcott, all other mandarins taste too plain now.
Nick Ball –
Hi Greg,
I think you are right about Afourer – it is a great mandarin variety and has great depth of flavour, partly because of it’s later-season. Other good mandarins, as well as Murcott, are Tangold (a seedless Afourer) and Orri, both of which will probably be available in Australia.
Regards,
Nick Ball
Dylan H –
A local farm shop near me sells the ‘Afourer’ fruits. The color and size alone drew me in – such a deep and virbant hue and very plump. Once I ate one it soon became my favourite snacking citrus. Very sweet, but offset by good amount of acidity and a developing flavour that leaves your mouth watering. They could have come straight from Eden. My absolute favs!
Nick Ball –
Hi Dylan,
Afourer is certainly a wonderful variety. It is interesting to hear that, even in late April, they are still eating well. By this stage of the season, the acids have often diminished to the extent that the flavour becomes a little bland, though still very sweet. However, every season is different and the abnormally cold weather this year in Morocco and Spain may well have slowed down the maturation process for the fruit.
Regards,
Nick Ball
M. A. –
Nadorcutt very delicious, from where I can buy the plant ?
Nick Ball –
Nadorcott is a great mandarin. If you want to buy a tree, it is best to search for Afourer in plant nurseries as they will not use the names Nadorcott or Tangold.