The Tango mandarin, UC Riverside’s most successful citrus variety, has been recognized with the “2026 Flavor of the Year” award in Spain and Portugal, a prestigious honor based on consumer taste evaluations.

The award, presented by Global Quality, a European trade and marketing association, is based on evaluations from about 80 consumers who judged the fruit on texture, appearance, aroma, and most notably, flavor. 

In Spain, up to 89% of participants indicated they would “probably” or “for sure” buy these mandarins, while in Portugal, 80% expressed similar willingness, according to Fresh Plaza, a fresh fruit industry trade publication. 

The Tango began as an experiment by professor Mikeal Roose, a citrus geneticist, and Timothy Williams, a longtime staff research associate and citrus breeder, both in UCR’s Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, who set out in the 1990s to develop a mandarin that would stay virtually seedless no matter what citrus varieties bloomed nearby.

Tango was released to growers in 2006 and has since become one of the most dominant mandarin varieties worldwide. Its success stems from its sterile pollen, lack of seeds, easy-to-peel skin, and rich flavor.

The award provides a seal that will boost marketing efforts, say officials with Eurosemillas, a company based in Spain that is UCR’s largest international licensee of the Tango mandarin variety.

“This is very satisfying,” Williams said. “We all should be happy about this—it’s been a huge effort over many years.”

Global Quality, a European trade and marketing association, will present the award to Eurosemillas at a gala event in Barcelona, Spain, on Jan. 21. In Portugal, the ceremony is set for Feb. 5 in Lisbon.