Allyson Whipple

Tag: tea

  • The Best of the Earl Grey Year

    The Best of the Earl Grey Year

    Although it was difficult for me to narrow down the best of all 100 Earl Grey blends I’ve tasted in 2024, I did want to highlight my favorites. My initial long list had 20 teas on it; I narrowed it down to 15 for the final best-of list. I tried to take it down to 10, which is why this post took so long to write. It was tough to cut five teas out of the initial list, and the more I thought it over, I couldn’t cut five more. All 15 blends on this list are memorable, and represent the qualities I value most in an Earl Grey.

    There are certainly some more famous blends or companies that got left off the list. That is not to say they weren’t excellent. So much of tea tasting is subjective. These are both high-quality tea blends and they’re the ones that resonated most strongly with my personal palate. 

    This list is organized by each category. Some of the companies appeared multiple times in the same category, but I decided to cut that down to once per category in order to ensure other great teas were noticed. When a company appeared twice, I simply had to choose which blend I felt best represented the talents of the tea blender.

    Each of these best-of entries includes an excerpt from the original review, a link to the full review, and a link to purchase the tea if you’re interested. These are not sponsored links.

    (And yes, I am still working on doing a giveaway, but honestly, I probably won’t get it together until after Christmas. The last quarter of the year has thrown some unexpected challenges my way.) 

    Classic Earl Greys

    Eastside Earl Grey, The Steeping Room

    The Eastside Earl Grey uses real Italian bergamot, and I think both the real and the Italian make a difference. I understand why some tea companies make the decision to use artificial bergamot. But the way mashed potatoes from scratch are more satisfying than mashed potatoes from a box, real bergamot makes a better impression than artificial. Sure, there is a time and place for boxed mashed potatoes; in fact, they might scratch a sentimental itch. And there is a time and place to use artificial bergamot. But tasting an Earl Grey that uses a real bergamot was a game–changer.

    Full review appears in Part 1.

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Earl Grey Français, Artful Tea

    Although the name might suggest otherwise, this blend from Artful Tea is a straight-up classic. The tea base is a blend of Ceylon and Yunnan teas, and the Français in the name refers to the French bergamot that is used for flavoring.  

    This is an absolutely beautiful blend, and is my favorite of the teas I tried for this post. I think there’s something about French bergamot that really resonates with my palate, because I tried this tea on January 26th (over a month before I was able to write this post), and I am still thinking about what an excellent tea it is. This blend uses Yunnan tea as the base, and something about that particular tea with the right amount of French bergamot is magical.  

    Full review appears in Part 3

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Classic Earl Grey, Ohio Tea Company

    The dry leaves of this blend smell incredible, with a hearty dose of bergamot at the top of the aroma. When I steeped the tea, I made sure it was covered. Lifting the lid off of my infuser mug, the scent of bergamot wafted up immediately to greet me. 

    When drinking this tea, the bergamot unsurprisingly hits first. The tea flavor then follows in short order. And the taste progression is absolutely perfect. I think the Assam tea they used was just right to complement the bergamot. Assam brings just a touch of sweetness that I think complements the other flavors well.

    Full review appears in Part 18

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Special Variations

    Mint Earl Grey, The Cove Tea Company

    Blenders at The Cove Tea Company combine black tea, peppermint, spearmint, bergamot oil, and French vanilla extract to create a rich and complex tea. It is smooth, sippable, and is definitely the kind of thing you could drink all day.

    When I taste this tea, the vanilla hits my palate first, then the mint, then bergamot, then black tea. There’s a great deal of depth, and these strong flavors are combined in a way that allows them to harmonize rather than dominate each other. 

    Full review appears in Part 7

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Anastasia, Kusmi Tea

    The steeped liquor has a medium body, and when I smell it, I get the scent of tea first, followed by citrus. That order was consistent when tasting the tea as well. I think the inclusion of orange blossom was what made this taste extra-refreshing. It’s perfect for spring and summer, and like the Earl Grey Intense, this would be lovely as a cold-brew iced tea. I also don’t think it requires any sweetener, though if you like your tea sweet, I think honey would complement the orange blossom oil quite well. 

    When I finished my sample of the Anastasia blend, I immediately wished that I had more. This is the kind of tea that I could definitely drink all day long. It’s extremely sippable, with mellow black tea and bright citrus. This one is going on my best-of list, and definitely will have a regular place in my tea cabinet. 

    Full review appears in Part 11

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Earl Grey de la Crème, Tea Market

    The dry aroma is vanilla-forward, and the raspberry leaf is strong as well, followed by bergamot and lavender. I struggled to detect the scent of tea. This is a medium-body tea, and the steeped aroma has the progression of lavender, vanilla, bergamot, raspberry, and tea. The flavor, meanwhile, is lavender-forward, followed by raspberry, bergamot, vanilla, and tea. 

    Given the sheer number of additions to this blend, plus the fact that I don’t love raspberry leaf, I did not expect to enjoy this tea. However, it wound up earning a place on my best-of long list. I realized that the raspberry leaf tempers the vanilla and lavender, which can both get overwhelming. All of the ingredients are perfectly balanced and work together rather than fighting. What this blend teaches me is that a disliked ingredient doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker when used in the right context.

    Full review appears in Part 19

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Floral Earl Greys

    Earl Grey Lavender, Artful Tea

    While the aesthetics of the dry leaf aren’t everything, the addition of cornflower petals alongside the lavender creates a blend that is gorgeous to look at both before and after steeping. 

    While the lavender is the star of the show, it manages to shine without overwhelming the bergamot. I think that the addition of the cornflower petals helps balance things out. While cornflowers are often considered to have a neutral flavor, I know many people (myself included) detect a faint sweetness from them. I’m not a supertaster, but whenever I taste cornflower in a blend, it brings with it a sort of light, creamy sweetness. 

    Full review appears in Part 2

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Provence, The Cove Tea Company

    The Provence blend from The Cove Tea Company contains black tea, bergamot, and French lavender. I was impressed with the balance of lavender to bergamot. I get a well-rounded cup of black tea, lavender, and bergamot flavors.

    My major takeaway with this blend is that the folks at The Cove Tea Company have a good sense of the different levels and types of astringency in each component of this tea. This is an excellent blend that I would add to my regular tea rotation.

    Full review appears in Part 6

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Vintage Earl Grey, The Tea Girl

    The Vintage Earl Grey blend includes Sri Lankan tea (from the Kenilworth Estate), plus French lavender and Italian rose petals to complement the bergamot. It’s truly an international blend! The dry aroma is, as you might imagine, potent! I noticed the rose first, followed by lavender, bergamot, and tea. One of the things that puts me off from rose-infused teas is that I associate rose petals with potpourri, but there’s no risk of that here. 

    The steeped liquor has a medium body, and when I smell the infused aroma, everything is well-balanced. That melding comes across when I sip the tea, as well. The lavender and the rose complement each other perfectly. They come across in equal measure, bolstered by the bergamot and the black tea. The recommended three-minute steep time was perfect, so I recommend you follow the directions for this one!

    Full review appears in Part 18

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link (Currently available only in Canada)

    Cream Earl Greys

    Creme de la Earl Grey, New Orleans Tea Company

    The steeped tea has a medium body. When I smell the finished brew, I get cream, tea, and then bergamot in that order. The tasting experience mirrors the scent, with the three flavors emerging as a progression. You start with the savoriness of the cream flavor, then the bitterness of the tea, followed by the brightness of the bergamot. It’s well-balanced and exceptionally crafted.

    This blend really tastes as though cream has been added to the tea, even though there’s none here. If you normally prefer to add dairy to your black tea, I recommend you try this one without at first; I think added dairy could overwhelm the delightful flavors of the tea. 

    Full review appears in Part 12

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Cream Earl Grey, The Tea Girl

    This blend incorporates a combination of Sri Lankan and Assam teas along with natural bergamot and vanilla. The tea leaves are accented by jasmine blossoms and cornflowers, creating a dry cup that looks as good as the steeped liquor tastes. The body is rich yet light. The level of cream flavor in this blend is perfect. When I taste the tea, I pick up traces of marshmallow. To be clear, that is a compliment. I love marshmallow flavor, and the interaction of vanilla and cornflower produces that effect. Don’t worry, the bergamot is still there even with the creaminess. 

    Full review appears in Part 12

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link (Currently available only in Canada)

    Green Earl Greys

    Duke of Earl, Cove Tea Company

    This blend contains green tea and specifies that it uses Italian bergamot. It’s a truly straightforward, no-fuss variation on this classic tea. In terms of resteeping the tea, the bergamot is still present on a second infusion, but considerably weaker, but still quite enjoyable. The bergamot doesn’t really survive a third infusion, but you’re still getting a nice cup of green with a whisper of citrus. This is a lovely blend perfect for the onset of spring. 

    Full review appears in Part 4

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Earl Green, Tea Market

    Tea Market’s Earl Green blend contains Pouchong green tea from Taiwan; the leaves are big, bright, and gorgeous. Combined with triple bergamot, the dry scent is citrus-forward, but the floral tea aroma is still there. That scent profile repeats with the steeped liquor.

    Given how light the bergamot was on the first tasting, I assumed it would be entirely absent on a second infusion. Still, I always like to do at least one additional steeping round, so I gave it a try. I was surprised to find that this tea actually had a stronger bergamot flavor on the second infusion! Yes, it was better the second time around. So if this tea doesn’t suit your palate the first time around, give it another infusion. This is a complex tea that definitely unfolds on subsequent steepings!

    Full review appears in Part 17

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

    Bergamot Queen, The Tea Girl

    The dry cup is visually stunning, with a mix of purple, blue, and white cornflower petals. The aroma of the green tea base has a lovely complexity, both sweet and floral. The steeped aroma is bergamot-forward, and the sweeter aspect of the tea comes through as well. The taste of the tea is incredibly refreshing. This tea lives up to its name, with the bright flavor of the bergamot shining through. The green tea is still there, and it works well with the citrus. If you generally avoid green tea due to grassiness or bitterness, you should give this blend a try, because the bergamot mitigates those flavors. 

    Full review appears in Part 24

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link (Currently available only in Canada)

    Tisane Earl Greys

    Earl Grey Rooibos, Artful Tea

    The blenders at Artful Tea understand how to balance out bergamot oil with the rooibos to ensure a pleasurable drinking experience. What’s especially impressive is that they make this work while sticking to the basics. The blend consists only of rooibos and bergamot oil. There is no extra citrus, no flowers, no other herbs to balance things out. When you stick to just the two ingredients, they have to be just right. There’s no room to hide, and the team at Artful Tea pulls this off masterfully. A common refrain on internet memes is, “10/10, no notes,” and really, I can’t think of a better way to describe this tisane. 

    Full review appears in Part 4

    Buy the tea here: Purchase Link

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 21: Four by the London Tea Merchant

    The Earl Grey Year Part 21: Four by the London Tea Merchant

    Since I bought so much tea from the London Tea Merchant when their St. Louis tea room was closing, I’ve written about a few of the teas already. When preparing to write this week’s Earl Grey installment, I noticed I had exactly four LTM teas left to review. So I thought it would be fun to create a single post devoted to these final four blends. Two I loved, one I liked well enough, and one didn’t land so well. However, remember that palates are personal; something I didn’t  enjoy might actually be your favorite! The London Tea Merchant is still selling tea online via their website, so you should check out any of these blends that pique your interest. 

    Earl Grey 

    This classic Earl Grey blend has a bergamot-forward dry cup, but at first whiff doesn’t seem like anything special. The steeped liquor, on the other hand, has a more compelling aroma. The bergamot and tea are well-balanced, and I detect some spicy undertones. The LTM blenders use Yunnan tea as their base, which is one of my favorites. 

    On taste, this Earl Grey is exceptionally well-balanced. The tea is bright and refreshing, and is smooth enough to drink all day long. (Assuming you’re willing to consume caffeine later in the day, which I definitely am.) The bergamot shines, but the Yunnan tea comes through. I wrote in my notes, “This is the platonic ideal of Earl Grey tea.”

    Though it’s getting more and more difficult to be impressed by a standard Earl Grey, this is a magnificent tea that is getting a spot on my best-of long list. I’m thrilled that although the London Tea Room has closed, the Merchant is still selling tea online, because I want to be able to buy it again. 

    Cream Earl Grey

    From dry aroma to steeped aroma to taste, this is a remarkably consistent blend. On the one hand, that’s not an inherent indicator of quality. Like wine (or even potato chips), variation between aroma and taste is normal, and doesn’t indicate anything about the skill of the tea maker. However, a tea that has the same profile all the way through is a rare find, and I enjoy celebrating that when it comes up. 

    The London Tea Room approach to Creme Earl Grey includes black tea, cornflower petals, vanilla flavor, and bergamot flavor. I found the balance of tea and vanilla to be well-matched, but the bergamot was lighter than I prefer. 

    While Creme Earl Grey does not represent the biggest proportion of teas that I’ve tasted, I’ve tasted enough that, as with the classic version, it’s getting difficult to impress me. While special variations make up a larger proportion than cremes, there’s enough novelty in that category to keep me guessing. Creme Earl Greys, on the other hand, have a standard range of ingredients, so it’s now taking more effort for me to really love one of these blends. I recognize the London Tea Room’s Creme Earl Grey as expertly blended and of high quality, but it’s simply not something that changes my life. 

    Churchill

    I was genuinely conflicted about how to categorize this tea. On the one hand, the only ingredients are black tea and bergamot, suggesting this is a classic blend. In addition, London Tea Merchant doesn’t specify which types of teas are in this blend. However, it’s so smoky that lapsang souchong has to be in here, and since that’s not a common Earl Grey base, I ended up calling this a special variation, just as I did for the Forntum & Mason Smoky Earl Grey.

    The aroma of the dry cup is bright with bergamot; the smoky tea is there, but it takes a back seat. The steeped tea, however, has a heavily smoky aroma; it’s difficult to detect the bergamot. I found the taste to be overwhelmingly smoky, with the bergamot largely hidden. Even though I followed the steeping instructions, the tea also seemed excessively bitter.

    Since I was sick for a chunk of September and October, I gave this blend a second chance. Although I tasted it after I’d recovered, I thought my palate might still have been compromised. So I felt this blend deserved another shot. And while it was less bitter the second time around, I felt the smoke to bergamot balance was off. I just didn’t love this one the way I loved its Fortnum’s counterpart. 

    Queen of Hearts

    This summery blend contains black tea, wild strawberry leaves, and bergamot oil. The additions shine through in the dry leaves, with strawberry and bergamot having a well-balanced aroma. The tea aroma is in the background. This same aroma profile comes through in the steeped liquor as well.

    The tea, on the other hand, is strawberry-forward, followed by tea. The bergamot flavor is on the weaker side. However, in this blend, I’m not complaining. The bergamot serving as an accent note works well. I think sometimes bergamot can clash with certain fruit flavors, so keeping it minimal here was probably the ideal choice.

    While I’m not a huge fan of strawberry flavor in my tea, I did enjoy this blend, and I’m glad I have a big tin of it. I’d buy this again, and once the warmer months come back, I would make this as a cold-brew blend to serve at a summer picnic.

    By the Numbers

    I’m 90% of the way through the tasting portion of this project! It’s funny that just a few weeks ago, I was feeling over it and ready to call it quits early. I’m glad I didn’t, because I’ve enjoyed some absolutely marvelous teas since then. 

    A pie chart showing that 90 teas have been tasted and 10 remain.

    Once again, my percentages remain largely the same. While the specific numbers have changed somewhat, the proportions aren’t all that different. With so few tastings left, I doubt there will be any surprises with the final pie chart. 

    A pie chart breaking down the proportions of all six categories after 90 tastings.

    Since reaching my 90th tea, I’ve added five new samples to my roster. That means I only have to acquire five more. I’m trying to choose carefully because there are many options out there. I’m excited for the new teas that will arrive in my mailbox in the next few days, and I look forward to seeing whatever fills up those few final spots.

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:

    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes

    The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 7: Classics and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 8: Cremes and Variations Part 2

    The Earl Grey Year Part 9 : Four More Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 10: Halfway Point

    The Earl Grey Year Part 11: Kusmi Tea

    The Earl Grey Year Part 12: Cremes and Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 13: Four More Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 14: Tisanes and Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 15: European Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 16: Even More Classics and Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 17: Creams and Greens

    The Earl Grey Year Part 18: Florals and a Classics Challenge

    The Earl Grey Year Part 19: Even More Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 20: Classics and Greens

    This month I’m taking part in the #OctoberTeas2024 challenge on Instagram. If you’re a tea drinker on the ‘gram, follow the hashtag and play along with us!

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share!

    Project References

    Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.

    American Chemical Society. (1965). “Bergamot Joins Lineup Of Synthetic Oils: Glidden process breaks down ß-pinene, back-blends components.” Chemical & Engineering News Archive 43 (33), 24-25. DOI: 10.1021/cen-v043n033.p024a 

    Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al.  “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4

    Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. “Composition of Leaf Oils.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Galper, Amy. (December 14, 2022.) “Shelf Life of Essential Oils.” Cliganic. https://www.cliganic.com/blogs/the-essentials/essential-oils-shelf-life 

    Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system 

    Lo Curto, Rosario. “Uses of Juice and By-Products.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Nishida, Kei.  “What Does Astringency Mean for Tea Drinking?” (n.d.) Japanese GreenTea Co. https://www.japanesegreentea.in/blogs/japanese-green-tea-lovers-in-india/what-does-astringency-mean-for-tea-drinking 

    Petite Histoire. (July 7, 2023).  “The [Complete & Complex] Guide to Natural vs. Synthetic Fragrance: What’s the Difference?” https://nyc.ph/blogs/inspiration/the-complete-guide-to-natural-vs-synthetic-fragrance

    Rosen, Diana. (November 3, 2020). “New – Coffee Leaf Arabica tea.” TeaSmart. https://www.teasmart.com/article_201106.html 
    Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 17: Creams and Greens

    The Earl Grey Year Part 17: Creams and Greens

    I’m fantastic at starting projects, but terrible at finishing them. I always want to give up when I’m close to the end. This is true not just of writing projects, or of going through the process to get my Pilates studio up and running, but even short-term challenges with a tangible end point. For example, when John and I summited Guadalupe Peak, an out-and-back hike that required a back-country camping permit, I wanted to give up a mile before the very end. As in, we spent a day hiking a thin trail with no coverage to step off and pee, camped in claustrophobia-inducing backpacking tents, reached the summit of the mountain . . . and on the way down, a mile from the parking lot where our car was parked, I was just absolutely and totally done. Unfortunately, there is no rescue mission coming for an uninjured hiker a mile from the parking lot. As Frank O’Hara says, “the only thing left to do is simply continue.”

    That is a long-winded way of saying I’m in a slump with this project. I’ve tasted 76 teas; I’m more than three-quarters of the way done. And I find myself losing enthusiasm for this project. Which leads me to wonder whether this is simply the end-of-project blues I always encounter with everything I’ve ever done, or if I really need to drink 26 more Earl Grey blends in my quest to really understand it. Ultimately, I rely on the evidence: I’m historically a starter, but not a finisher. This slump is most likely my monkey mind doing what it always does, getting bored as the project draws to a close and wanting to start something new. So with that, I resolve to continue on.   

    Cream Earls

    Creamy Earl Grey, Simpson & Vail

    Simpson & Vail’s Creamy Earl Grey is straightforward: black tea, vanilla, and bergamot. I admit that I’ve grown somewhat accustomed to seeing dried cornflower petals in cream Earl Grey blends, but ultimately, they don’t contribute very much (some say they don’t contribute at all), and just because a cup of dry leaves looks pretty doesn’t mean the steeped brew is of high quality. While I do like to note pretty cups of tea when I see them, that’s never the most important part of the evaluation.

    The dry leaf aroma is vanilla-forward, followed by bergamot, and then tea. The flavorings are so strong that the scent of the tea is actually difficult to detect! With the steeped aroma, however, the tea and vanilla come through equally, with the bergamot being difficult to detect. I followed the instructors for a three-minute steep, and on taste, I got tea first, then vanilla, and then bergamot. The citrus really shines on the back end, though, resulting in a bright finish.

    I did enjoy this blend, though since Cream Earl Greys aren’t my first choice of beverage, I’m hard to impress. The folks at Simpson & Vail know their stuff, and I know there are plenty of tea drinkers out there who would like this blend. There are simply other Simpson & Vail teas in my cabinet that I prefer.

    Cream Earl Grey, Ohio Tea Company

    The Ohio Tea Company blend contains a mixture of orange pekoe grade Sri Lankan black tea (I love how specific the company is in their notes!), vanilla, cornflower petals, and bergamot. The scent of the dry cup is vanilla-forward, followed by tea and bergamot, and the steeped liquid has the same aroma profile. 

    Upon drinking this blend, I find that the tea flavor is actually the strongest, followed by vanilla, and then bergamot. While bergamot appears light on my palate, it’s certainly present; I never find myself searching for it. While it’s a little lighter than I personally prefer, you’re not going to miss it. Ultimately, this is a well-conceived and expertly-executed Cream Earl Grey. I think this will appeal to a number of tea drinkers who like bergamot but are put off when it’s the dominant flavor. 

    I don’t see this particular blend becoming part of my collection, because while it does illustrate masterful blending, it also didn’t change my life. I admit I feel a little bad saying that, as this is my first review of an Ohio Tea Company blend. However, I’ve actually already sampled three of the four Earl Grey teas that I ordered from them, and one in particular is going to get rave reviews in a future blog post. I genuinely think this is a perfect blend for some tea drinkers out there, and I encourage you to give it a shot. (Also, Ohio Tea Company allows you one free sample a month. All the more reason to shop there!)

    Green Earls

    Emerald Green Earl Grey, Simpson & Vail

    Simpson & Vail uses China Green Sencha and bergamot oil in this blend. (Yes, sencha is generally a Japanese tea, but according to the map on the tea’s information page, there are producers in the Sichuan province.)

    I was skeptical going into this blend, because when I smelled the dry leaf, the bergamot was overwhelming. Yes, I like a bergamot-heavy cup, but I want to be able to detect the tea as well! Fortunately, there was a better balance in the aroma of the steeped liquor. The liquid has a lovely green body and is clearly a sencha. 

    In terms of taste, this blend is refreshing. It’s something you could drink all day, and would be excellent brewed both hot and cold. My one complaint is that the bergamot is noticeably weak on the second infusion. One of the great things about green tea is that most of them can handle multiple steepings, and I like to make the most of my leaves! The tea was still tasty, it just didn’t seem much like an Earl Grey anymore. I do recommend this tea, just know that you’re only going to get one cup where it really tastes like an Earl Grey.

    Earl Green, Tea Market

    Tea Market’s Earl Green blend contains Pouchong green tea from Taiwan; the leaves are big, bright, and gorgeous. Combined with triple bergamot, they dry scent is citrus-forward, but the floral tea aroma is still there. That scent profile repeats with the steeped liquor.

    Per the steeping instructions, I let this tea set for three minutes before drinking it. I was surprised by how light the bergamot was, considering that this tea is triple-scented. I found it light, refreshing, and easy to drink. This is another tea you could easily drink all day, enjoy hot, or serve cold at a summer picnic. Still, I was hoping for more bergamot flavor.

    Given how light the bergamot was on the first tasting, I assumed it would be entirely absent on a second infusion. Still, I always like to do at least one additional steeping round, so I gave it a try. I was surprised to find that this tea actually had a stronger bergamot flavor on the second infusion! Yes, it was better the second time around. So if this tea doesn’t suit your palate the first time around, give it another infusion. This is a complex tea that definitely unfolds on subsequent steepings!

    By the Numbers

    I’ve only got 24 teas left to taste, and I have all the teas in my queue I need to stay on track for September. The London Tea Room St. Louis sadly closed last week, and since all the teas were discounted, I got every Earl Grey option they had in stock. 

    Even with deliberately seeking out some green and tisane Earl Grey blends, ultimately, the proportions haven’t changed that much. I expect things to hold more or less in this pattern for the rest of the challenge. On some level, I wonder if I should have put the greens and tisanes into the Special Variation category, but when I started this project, I really thought I would encounter more of them. It wasn’t until much later in the challenge that I realized just how few of these particular blends were out there. I suppose I could just re-classify them, but at the same time, I think I want to stick with my initial categories since I’m so close to the end of the project.

    While the final stretch is always the most challenging part of a project to me, I’m excited to delve into the London Tea Room blends. With just 16 samples left to purchase, I can’t help but wonder what will come next!

    (Also, while I hate Christmas Creep, tea companies are starting to reveal their 2024 advent calendars, and I can’t resist looking. I’m bummed that I won’t be able to afford the Fortnum’s wooden calendar again this year, I’m still excited for the more economical options to choose from!)

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:

    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes

    The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 7: Classics and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 8: Cremes and Variations Part 2

    The Earl Grey Year Part 9 : Four More Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 10: Halfway Point

    The Earl Grey Year Part 11: Kusmi Tea

    The Earl Grey Year Part 12: Cremes and Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 13: Four More Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 14: Tisanes and Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 15: European Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 16: Even More Classics and Variations

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share!

    Project References

    Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.

    American Chemical Society. (1965). “Bergamot Joins Lineup Of Synthetic Oils: Glidden process breaks down ß-pinene, back-blends components.” Chemical & Engineering News Archive 43 (33), 24-25. DOI: 10.1021/cen-v043n033.p024a 

    Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al.  “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4

    Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. “Composition of Leaf Oils.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Galper, Amy. (December 14, 2022.) “Shelf Life of Essential Oils.” Cliganic. https://www.cliganic.com/blogs/the-essentials/essential-oils-shelf-life 

    Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system 

    Lo Curto, Rosario. “Uses of Juice and By-Products.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Nishida, Kei.  “What Does Astringency Mean for Tea Drinking?” (n.d.) Japanese GreenTea Co. https://www.japanesegreentea.in/blogs/japanese-green-tea-lovers-in-india/what-does-astringency-mean-for-tea-drinking 

    Petite Histoire. (July 7, 2023).  “The [Complete & Complex] Guide to Natural vs. Synthetic Fragrance: What’s the Difference?” https://nyc.ph/blogs/inspiration/the-complete-guide-to-natural-vs-synthetic-fragrance

    Rosen, Diana. (November 3, 2020). “New – Coffee Leaf Arabica tea.” TeaSmart. https://www.teasmart.com/article_201106.html 
    Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 15: European Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 15: European Classics

    This week, I noticed there were only five teas left from my friend royal_teacups left to review, and four of them were classic blends. So I decided that Part 15 would focus on the remaining Continental classics. Spoiler alert: none of the four got rave reviews, but none of them were bad, either. The first two were underwhelming. The second two were enjoyable, but not spectacular. A truly middle-of-the-road set of reviews. We’re sitting pretty much in the middle of the bell curve this week!

    Earl Grey, Øgo (Denmark)

    Due to language differences, I struggled to find out much about this brand. (One thing that did intrigue me was that I found a collecting site that lists a number of this brand’s tea bags! Unfortunately, I also found it listed in a Danish study about tea brands that have excessive levels of fluoride.) However, it’s definitely a straightforward Earl Grey, with just black tea and bergamot.

    I didn’t get much smell from the tea bag itself, and honestly, the steeped liquid didn’t have much of an aroma, either. That being said, aroma isn’t a 1:1 correlation with overall taste. However, in this case, the lack of aroma corresponded with a bland overall flavor. Not only did I not taste much bergamot, but the tea itself didn’t have much in the way of flavor. Even with a five-minute steep, this tea tastes weak.  

    As I encounter underwhelming teas, it’s worth noting that even if I don’t think a tea is particularly good, it may still be drinkable. This Earl Grey is definitely drinkable, even though it’s bland. There have been a few cups of Earl Grey in this challenge I couldn’t even finish; this isn’t one of them. However, it would be more of a tea I’d grab if I didn’t have many other options, rather than being something I’d seek out.

    Earl Grey Organic, 365 Økologi (Denmark)

    The 365 Økologi (Organic) brand is part of the 365 Discount chain in Denmark, focused on providing organic products at reasonable prices. Due to my inability to read Danish and the inevitable limitations of translation apps, I struggled to find much detail about this blend online. However, I can tell that it’s a no-frills tea bag with just black tea and bergamot.

    The tea bag and the infused liquid are both tea-forward, and I’m not detecting much bergamot in either aroma. The bag steeps quickly, and the final beverage is quite dark after just a few minutes. It’s so dark that it could almost pass for coffee. Unfortunately, when I tasted it, I could not detect much bergamot at all. 

    While I’ve been a tea bag snob in the past, throughout this challenge, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by many of the bagged teas I’ve tasted. It’s been convincing me to reconsider my snobbishness. Unfortunately, this tea is an example of why I was resistant to tea bags in the first place. It certainly wasn’t the worst tea I’ve tasted for this project, but it definitely didn’t inspire me.

    Earl Grey, Since 1836 (Germany)

    This blend from Since 1836 has a robust, tea-forward aroma in both the dry cup and steeped liquor. The instructions told me to steep for 3-5 minutes, and I went for the maximum time. However, even though I generally prefer a longer infusion time, I think this one would benefit better from 3 or 4 minutes. The body is quite full and dark. I’m not opposed to that, but my personal preference is translucence in the cup; this tea is opaque.

    Although I was skeptical based on the opacity of this tea, I found the flavor quite enjoyable. This blend is an example of why, while the scent is an important part of the overall experience, it’s not necessarily a predictor about the overall taste. The tea-forward nature of the aroma was so strong that I thought the tea was going to taste bitter, but I was wrong. This actually was very well-balanced, with tea and bergamot in harmony.

    Ultimately, this was an enjoyable tea, though it didn’t blow my mind. I’m glad I had the opportunity to try it, and while I wouldn’t be disappointed if someone served it to me, I wouldn’t go out of my way to purchase it, either. But if it’s available in your area and you want a straightforward Earl Grey, you should try this.

    Earl Grey, Life by Follis (Sweden)

    I’ll close with another perfectly enjoyable blend. The Earl Grey by Life by Follis has a tea-heavy scent on both the dry cup and steeped liquor. The liquid has a medium body, which I prefer. Their website lists organic black tea and natural bergamot for the Earl Grey blend. 

    Earlier in this challenge, I was blown away by the differences between natural and artificial bergamot. I haven’t become a snob about it; I know one of the blends on my best-of list uses artificial bergamot (but that won’t be revealed until the end of the project). Still, there’s something special about natural bergamot, and I can see how it makes a difference here. Based on a currency converter, this is a fairly middle-of-the-road tea in terms of price. It’s not extravagant, but the natural bergamot does make it feel a little more luxurious.

    I wish I could end on a more spectacular review. I don’t find any particular faults in this tea, but it also doesn’t rock my world. It’s simply another Earl Grey that is lovely to drink, but I don’t feel disappointed that I don’t have regular access to it. I’m glad I got the chance to give it a try, especially because it’s not available in the United States. But I won’t be figuring out how to import it from Sweden, either.

    By the Numbers

    With just two teas left to taste in August, I’m 70% of the way done with my tea tastings! I don’t see myself getting to the 75% mark by the end of the month, but that’s not an issue. I’m still going to end August on schedule.   

    A pie chart showing 70% complete and 30% incomplete.

    The distribution hasn’t changed much, though I’ve continued to seek out more green and tisane blends, so you will probably see more of those reflected in the pie chart soon! Most of what I added to my queue in August is in the Special Variation category, so I’m interested to see how that proportion changes. While I try not to over-buy in one category, there were some irresistibly interesting options.

    A pie chart showing the proportions of the different Earl Grey teas I have consumed.

    I’m planning on another post soon, because I want to update right when I hit the August milestone. Plus, I’m trying to get the blogging more in sync with the tasting. I think it would feel odd to finish the tastings and still have four posts to write! 

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:

    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes

    The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 7: Classics and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 8: Cremes and Variations Part 2

    The Earl Grey Year Part 9 : Four More Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 10: Halfway Point

    The Earl Grey Year Part 11: Kusmi Tea

    The Earl Grey Year Part 12: Cremes and Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 13: Four More Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 14: Tisanes and Classics

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share!

    You can also connect with me at the MyTeaPal app, where I’m posting under the username @haikuallyson. 

    Project References

    Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.

    American Chemical Society. (1965). “Bergamot Joins Lineup Of Synthetic Oils: Glidden process breaks down ß-pinene, back-blends components.” Chemical & Engineering News Archive 43 (33), 24-25. DOI: 10.1021/cen-v043n033.p024a 

    Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al.  “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4

    Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. “Composition of Leaf Oils.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Galper, Amy. (December 14, 2022.) “Shelf Life of Essential Oils.” Cliganic. https://www.cliganic.com/blogs/the-essentials/essential-oils-shelf-life 

    Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system 

    Lo Curto, Rosario. “Uses of Juice and By-Products.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Nishida, Kei.  “What Does Astringency Mean for Tea Drinking?” (n.d.) Japanese GreenTea Co. https://www.japanesegreentea.in/blogs/japanese-green-tea-lovers-in-india/what-does-astringency-mean-for-tea-drinking 

    Petite Histoire. (July 7, 2023).  “The [Complete & Complex] Guide to Natural vs. Synthetic Fragrance: What’s the Difference?” https://nyc.ph/blogs/inspiration/the-complete-guide-to-natural-vs-synthetic-fragrance

    Rosen, Diana. (November 3, 2020). “New – Coffee Leaf Arabica tea.” TeaSmart. https://www.teasmart.com/article_201106.html 
    Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 14: Tisanes and Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 14: Tisanes and Classics

    While the blogging has been a little slower than I’d like, I realized as I sat down to write that I’m more than halfway through with that portion of the project! This time around, I’m focusing on a few tisanes (which I’ve deliberately sought out), and my ever-growing list of classic blends. Two were good, one was great, and one was unfortunately not to my liking at all. But ultimately, this week is truly reflective of the project as a whole: mostly good blends, a few stellar ones, and a few I couldn’t finish. 

    Tisanes

    One of this week’s tisanes is a real outlier; it’s a blend with a coffee leaf base! The other is a rooibos-based blend, which is the most common tisane base I’ve encountered on the project. The tisane section in this entry consists of the tea I found incredible, and the one I found undrinkable.

    Arabica Earl Grey, Adagio

    I didn’t really understand what Arabica tea was when I first saw the Arabica Earl Grey Blend on the Adagio site. However, I saw the blend was getting discontinued, so I went ahead and ordered some to ensure I had a chance to taste every Earl Grey variation from Adagio.

    I have since learned that Arabica tea is actually a tisane. Specifically, the brew consists of Arabica coffee leaves steeped like tea (Rosen 2020). It’s a traditional beverage in Indonesia and Ethiopia. In her article about Arabica tea, Diana Rosen describes the flavor as, “smooth, delicate-tasting, with a sweet edge” (2020). 

    The instructions said to steep for a minimum of 5 minutes, but that the flavor would develop if the leaves sat longer. I decided to do a minimum steep first, just to get a baseline. Unfortunately, I did not find this tisane to be smooth, delicate, or the slightest bit sweet. The smell of the steeped leaves reminded me of asparagus; I couldn’t detect any bergamot at all. 

    The tasting wasn’t any better; I couldn’t detect any of the bergamot or orange listed. The added cornflowers didn’t mellow anything out. The steeped liquid was intensely vegetal and bitter. Even adding a large quantity of honey didn’t help. I cannot imagine what a longer steeping time would have been like.

    Arabica Earl Grey reminded me of maté, so if you enjoy that, you might like this, but I cannot seriously recommend it. Unfortunately, I accidentally bought three sample packs of this, and I haven’t touched it in weeks. It might end up as compost for my plants, unless someone really wants to try the two unopened samples. I would be happy to send them your way!

    Rooibos Earl Grey, Simpson & Vail

    The Simpson & Vail Rooibos Earl Grey is a blend that is definitely getting a spot on my best-of longlist! The smell of the dry blend has an incredible bergamot aroma. The steeped liquor has a rich, bold body that is a lovely shade of mahogany, and the infused aroma is well-balanced between the base and the bergamot.

    When I taste this tea, the balance of rooibos and bergamot are absolutely perfect. There are no additions beyond bergamot, which I think is what gives this infusion an edge over some of the other tisane blends I’ve tasted. The bergamot doesn’t have to compete with cornflowers, vanilla, or other herbs. The rooibos and citrus flavors can simply coexist. 

    Obviously, if you can’t stand rooibos (it’s really a love-or-hate thing for most tea drinkers), this isn’t the blend for you. But if rooibos is something you enjoy, this is truly a blend you could drink all day and not get tired of it. I bet it would make a lovely cold brew as well!

    Classics

    These two blends are the ones that were solidly enjoyable. They didn’t blow my mind, but the deeper I go into the project, the harder that becomes. The competition becomes stiffer, because I have found a few true gems, and those become the standard by which everything else is judged. But if you’re an Earl Grey fan, you’re likely to enjoy these. Both of these blends came from my friend royal_teacups.

    Earl Grey, Kung Markatta

    Kung Markatta is a Swedish company that produces a variety of food and beverage products. They use fair-trade tea and organic bergamot oil in their Earl Grey blend. The body is fairly light, and bergamot fragrance dominates when smelling the steeped liquid. 

    When tasting the tea, I found the bergamot to be nice and strong. The citrus came through each and every sip. It’s definitely a bergamot-forward blend, and the tea seems a little weak by comparison. I found it bright, refreshing, and enjoyable, though ultimately, the balance between citrus and tea was a bit skewed. 

    If you are a true bergamot lover and have access to Swedish teas, you will probably love this one. If you’re more of a tea-forward person, this might not be the best option for you. All in all, though, it’s a pleasant tea, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to try it.

    Organic Earl Grey, Fredsted

    Fredsted is a Danish tea company, and I would once again like to thank Google Translate for helping me get more information from the company’s website. (As far as I can tell, organic is not a 1:1 translation for the Danish word Økologisk, but it’s the best I can come up with. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong!) 

    This Earl Grey blend has a strong, dark body. The scent of the tea is woody, and not much bergamot came through on the aroma. The bergamot was on the lighter side, and came through best at the back of my palate. It was on the subtle side, and took some time to emerge. This would probably be most enjoyable for someone who prefers a milder Earl Grey.

    On the Fredsted website, the instructions for this particular blend say to steep for 5-6 minutes. I was surprised to see that; I can’t recall a time where I’ve been instructed to steep a true camellia sinensis blend for longer than 5 minutes. (I definitely have seen longer steeping times for tisanes without any actual tea.) When I tasted this, I only steeped it for 5 minutes, which is my go-to steeping length for black tea. However, I wonder if the bergamot would have shined a bit more if I’d let the teabag sit for an extra minute.

    By the Numbers

    I’ve taken a little bit of a tasting break for the end of July and beginning of August. Life is quite full, but I’m still well on track with the teas I need to taste this month. I’m only six teas away from my August minimum, and I already know what they’re going to be. Having a plan helps! 

    I’ve deliberately sought out some Tisane Earl and Green Earl blends, so those numbers have increased slightly, but the fact remains that these are simply less represented in the tea world. I get that; black tea is the classic base. But I really do love the combination of green tea and bergamot, so I wish there were more Green Earl Greys out there!

    I’m just about ⅔ of the way through the tasting portion of this project! I’m a little more behind on blogging than I’d like to be, but I have a plan to make more progress with that portion of the project. Be on the lookout for another update soon!

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:

    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes

    The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 7: Classics and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 8: Cremes and Variations Part 2

    The Earl Grey Year Part 9 : Four More Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 10: Halfway Point

    The Earl Grey Year Part 11: Kusmi Tea

    The Earl Grey Year Part 12: Cremes and Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 13: Four More Special Variations

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share!

    You can also connect with me at the MyTeaPal app, where I’m posting under the username @haikuallyson. 

    Project References

    Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.

    American Chemical Society. (1965). “Bergamot Joins Lineup Of Synthetic Oils: Glidden process breaks down ß-pinene, back-blends components.” Chemical & Engineering News Archive 43 (33), 24-25. DOI: 10.1021/cen-v043n033.p024a 

    Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al.  “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4

    Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. “Composition of Leaf Oils.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Galper, Amy. (December 14, 2022.) “Shelf Life of Essential Oils.” Cliganic. https://www.cliganic.com/blogs/the-essentials/essential-oils-shelf-life 

    Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system 

    Lo Curto, Rosario. “Uses of Juice and By-Products.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Nishida, Kei.  “What Does Astringency Mean for Tea Drinking?” (n.d.) Japanese GreenTea Co. https://www.japanesegreentea.in/blogs/japanese-green-tea-lovers-in-india/what-does-astringency-mean-for-tea-drinking 

    Petite Histoire. (July 7, 2023).  “The [Complete & Complex] Guide to Natural vs. Synthetic Fragrance: What’s the Difference?” https://nyc.ph/blogs/inspiration/the-complete-guide-to-natural-vs-synthetic-fragrance

    Rosen, Diana. (November 3, 2020). “New – Coffee Leaf Arabica tea.” TeaSmart. https://www.teasmart.com/article_201106.html 
    Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 11: Kusmi Tea

    The Earl Grey Year Part 11: Kusmi Tea

    I’ve decided to shake up the structure a bit for this post. In the abundant set of samples that royal_teacups sent me, she included four from Kusmi Tea. When I was looking through my spreadsheet to consider which tastings to write about for this entry, I noticed how nice and stacked the four of them were in my spreadsheet, and decided it would be a nice change of pace to devote one update to a single company’s samples.

    I found Kusmi Tea to be a true delight all around, so these reviews are going to be positive across the board. However, while all the teas were good, I enjoyed some more than others, and you’ll see those preferences reflected below. All in all, no matter what your Earl Grey preferences are, you will probably find something to love from Kusmi.

    Earl Grey (Classic Earl)

    In my opinion, there are two true classic types of blended teas: Earl Grey and Chai. (Should I repeat this project next year with chai? Let me know in the comments!) And any tea company that sells blends (rather than exclusively plain tea) is going to include at least one Earl Grey and one Chai on their blend roster. And I also recognize that if a company has one or more fantastic Earl Grey variations, they probably feel compelled to offer a traditional Earl Grey for the customers who want the simple, classic blend. 

    However, when a company’s Earl Grey variations are so unique and of such high quality, I find that the traditional Earl Grey pales a bit in comparison. That’s not to say that the Kusmi Earl Grey is bad; it’s a lovely, straight-up Earl Grey. The tea smells lovely in the sachet, has a nice body and aroma, and has a quintessential Earl Grey flavor. 

    Ultimately, I have no real complaints about this blend, except that it just doesn’t stand out when Ksumi is already offering three other exceptional Earl Grey variations, one of which I found to be truly exceptional. I understand why they need to offer a standard Earl Grey, and they certainly blend it impeccably. If you’re an Earl Grey fan, you won’t be disappointed by this blend. However, the variations Kusmi offers are the true stars of the show.  

    Earl Grey Intense (Special Variation)

    On the Kusmi website, Earl Grey Intense is described as, “an even bolder bergamot oil and particularly tangy lemon peel.” The addition of lemon peel puts this in the Special Variation category. 

    The steeped liquor is a nice amber color. Although the blend was billed as having a heavy citrus presence, the tea scent came through first when I smelled the liquor. On taste, I tasted tea first, then the lemon came through, with bergamot at the finish. In addition, as the tea cooled down, both citrus flavors became more prominent. 

    All in all, this was a brisk, fresh tea that made for an enjoyable cup. I imagine that this would be lovely prepared as a cold-brewed iced tea; you wouldn’t need to add any lemon to it. In addition, the flavors are balanced enough that I don’t think it requires any sweetener, whether prepared hot or iced. Between the quality of the tea leaves and the brightness of the citrus, this tea doesn’t have any bitterness. Although it’s called Intense, I think this would be a lovely blend for any tea drinker who likes Earl Grey in general.  

    Prince Vladimir (Special Variation)

    The website describes the Prince Vladimir blend as containing grapefruit, orange, and lime in addition to the standard bergamot. This tea blend is also topped off with a bit of vanilla. Kusmi also notes cloves in the ingredient list. Obviously, with the number of additions, I consider this a Special Variation. 

    The steeped liquor has a nice body and an incredible scent. The clove and citrus really come through as the steam rises from my cup. When I drink this brew, I note the vanilla first, then the various citrus components, then the clove. 

    Although not heavily spiced, this tea reminds me a bit of Christmas. Crates of oranges were a Christmas staple when I was growing up, and of course cloves invoke the holiday season. While not overtly a holiday tea, I could see this right at home at a Christmas or Thanksgiving table. 

    Anastasia (Special Variation)

    The Anastasia blend is my clear favorite of the Kusmi lineup. According to the Kusmi website, this blend includes lemon and orange blossom in addition to bergamot and black tea. The dry leaf is the most fragrant of these four blends, and is absolutely gorgeous, filling my whole kitchen with the scent of citrus. 

    The steeped liquor has a medium body, and when I smell it, I get the scent of tea first, followed by citrus. That order was consistent when tasting the tea as well. I think the inclusion of orange blossom was what made this taste extra-refreshing. It’s perfect for spring and summer, and like the Earl Grey Intense, this would be lovely as a cold-brew iced tea. I also don’t think it requires any sweetener, though if you like your tea sweet, I think honey would complement the orange blossom oil quite well. 

    When I finished my sample of the Anastasia blend, I immediately wished that I had more. This is the kind of tea that I could definitely drink all day long. It’s extremely sippable, with mellow black tea and bright citrus. This one is going on my best-of list, and definitely will have a regular place in my tea cabinet. 

    By the Numbers

    I’ve officially reached the minimum number of teas I need to sample in the month of June, once again keeping comfortably ahead of schedule. And I’m now more than halfway through the tasting portion of this project! 

    Since I’ve only had four more teas since my last update, the proportions haven’t changed much. For reference, though I have many teas in my queue, I don’t classify them ahead of time; their category doesn’t get noted in the spreadsheet until I drink it. I prefer to update the teas as I go so the classification pie chart reflects my real-time tea drinking as closely as possible.  

    I’ve also now tasted nearly everything in my queue so far. I’ll have to buy a few more teas in order to meet my quota for July. I’ve enjoyed working my way through this long list of tea, and I’m also excited to add some new blends to my lineup. I have a long wishlist, and I haven’t decided what to purchase next. There are so many options for fantastic tea!

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:

    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes

    The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 7: Classics and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 8: Cremes and Variations Part 2

    The Earl Grey Year Part 9 : Four More Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 10: Halfway Point

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share! 

    For more tea content, check out my tea pairings playlist on YouTube.

    Project References

    Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.

    American Chemical Society. (1965). “Bergamot Joins Lineup Of Synthetic Oils: Glidden process breaks down ß-pinene, back-blends components.” Chemical & Engineering News Archive 43 (33), 24-25. DOI: 10.1021/cen-v043n033.p024a 

    Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al.  “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4

    Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. “Composition of Leaf Oils.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Galper, Amy. (December 14, 2022.) “Shelf Life of Essential Oils.” Cliganic. https://www.cliganic.com/blogs/the-essentials/essential-oils-shelf-life 

    Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system 

    Lo Curto, Rosario. “Uses of Juice and By-Products.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Nishida, Kei.  “What Does Astringency Mean for Tea Drinking?” (n.d.) Japanese GreenTea Co. https://www.japanesegreentea.in/blogs/japanese-green-tea-lovers-in-india/what-does-astringency-mean-for-tea-drinking 

    Petite Histoire. (July 7, 2023).  “The [Complete & Complex] Guide to Natural vs. Synthetic Fragrance: What’s the Difference?” https://nyc.ph/blogs/inspiration/the-complete-guide-to-natural-vs-synthetic-fragrance

    Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 9: Four More Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 9: Four More Florals

    During this challenge, I’ve tasted a few incredible blends. Most of what I’ve tasted are teas that are enjoyable but not mind-blowing. Even if I didn’t love a particular tea, I wouldn’t be opposed to sampling it again, or enjoying a cup if someone offered it to me. I’ve been lucky that there are few teas I’ve tasted that I would never want to drink again. 

    I think this installment of the project features the first tea that I would not want to drink again under any circumstances. (Okay, I would drink it if I was dehydrated and it was the only liquid available.) Unfortunately, this tea is from a company I’ve been buying from for years! But it goes to show that not every company can get every blend right. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. Just because a company on the whole does a good job doesn’t mean they master every blend every time.

    But while one of the floral blends this week was unpleasant, the other three were exceptional, with one becoming a new favorite. As we move from late spring into early summer, it feels like a good week to celebrate the Floral Greys out there. 

    Earl Grey Lavender, Adagio

    As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, Adagio Teas was the first company from which I ever purchased loose-leaf tea. I’ve been buying from them since 2006. So I’m clearly a fan. But this tea did not work for me at all. 

    I was put off just from the smell of the dry leaf. The scent was shockingly sweet, and the lavender smelled artificial. While there are clearly lavender flowers in the blend, they didn’t smell like the lavender currently growing on my patio. Things didn’t improve when I smelled the steeped liquid. The artificial lavender smell was overpowering, and I actually didn’t want to drink the tea at all. 

    When I did start sipping, all I could taste was a strong, artificial lavender, followed by intense sweetness. (I did not add any sweetener to this tea.) I got through one cup, and that was all I could handle. The sample size makes about 10 cups, meaning I have a fair amount left. I might try a cold brew version to see if that improves anything, but honestly, I’m not optimistic. 

    Fear not! While this tea wasn’t a winner, Adagio has a number of other Earl Grey blends. I haven’t tried them all yet, but their Rooibos Earl Grey and Earl Grey Green both make enjoyable cups of tea.  

    Dronning Louise, Chaya

    My friend @royal_teacups sent me the Dronning Louise (Queen Louise) blend made by Chaya, a Danish tea company. I’m fortunate to have included this tea in my roster, as I would not likely be able to get it here!

    The Dronning Louise blend consists of Keemun tea, rose petals, and natural bergamot. Their website also refers to it as Chinese Spring Tea, and it definitely evokes the spring weather! In my neighborhood, roses are blooming, and this tea has a floral brightness that I see reflected outside (at least on days when it’s not pouring rain). 

    This is a remarkably complex blend. The rose and the bergamot harmonize well, and stand out on the palate. The Keemun tea is quite subtle by comparison. This is a tea that demands you stop and pay attention. You can’t just gulp it mindlessly while going about your day. If you want to appreciate the full nuance, you have to make time to savor your cup.

    Given that I don’t generally care for rose-scented tea, I was honestly surprised to enjoy the Dronning Louise blend as much as I did. However, the flavors are balanced quite skillfully, and I think that’s why it works. It manages to be floral without tasting like perfume, and that’s not always easy to manage.

    LalalaLavender Cream Earl Grey, The Tea Girl

    I started following The Tea Girl, a Canadian tea blender, on Instagram a while back. I was excited back in March when she posted about her spring tea offerings, including a few Earl Grey blends. So I was quite disappointed when payday rolled around and I went to her online shop, only to discover that she is currently only able to ship within Canada! Yet a few weeks later, I came home to discover a packet of samples from The Tea Girl in my mailbox, including an assortment of Earl Greys, plus two others. I’m thrilled I got the opportunity to try them.

    The first blend I tried was the LalalaLavender Cream Earl Grey. Although I’m partial to a longer infusion time, I followed the recommendation to steep for only three minutes for my first cup. I like to make sure I’m experiencing the brew the way the tea maker thinks is best, and then adjust for my own preference on subsequent tastings. 

    While the lavender taste was admittedly a little strong for my taste, I commend Sarah (the actual Tea Girl) for her ability to avoid that overwhelming astringency that can occur when lavender, citrus, and black tea combine. (While I enjoy an astringent cup, there are times when it can just be too much.) I’m guessing that balance is due to the lavandin varietals of lavender that she uses. 

    There was enough tea in the sample for another two tastings; I did a second with a four-minute steep, and one that steeped for five minutes. Unsurprisingly, I liked the five-minute steep the best; I felt the tea had more time to develop, and balance out the floral elements. That, though, is strictly personal preference; your mileage may vary. 

    Rose Hill Earl Grey, The Tea Girl

    The Rose Hill Earl Grey blend was the item in The Tea Girl’s spring lineup that I was most excited to try, and most disappointed when I thought I wouldn’t be able to obtain any. And this is coming from someone who, just about 300 words ago, said she didn’t like rose very much. But I was swayed by the Instagram photos. The dry blend is particularly gorgeous, and yes, it was so pretty I just had to drink it.

    Fortunately, I was not disappointed. The tea managed to exceed my already high expectations. This blend is definitely getting named in my best-of long list, and if you live in Canada, you need to order some while it’s still available. There was a nice balance to the scent of both the dry leaf and the steeped liquor. I perceived the scent of rose first, followed by black tea, and then bergamot, but they all flowed naturally. I didn’t have to search hard for them. That flavor progression is reflected in the steeped liquor as well. The experience is much like the way a fine wine gradually unfolds on your palate.

    I wrote in my tasting journal, “This is the only rose tea I would stock on a regular basis.” I will be keeping an eye out for the day that The Tea Girl is able to ship outside of Canada, and once I can, I will be ordering a large quantity of the Rose Hill Earl Grey.

    By the Numbers

    As of this writing, I’m one tea tasting ahead of schedule for the month. It’s possible that I’ll reach the halfway point by the end of May! I currently have just 15 untasted teas left in my queue, but I think I’ll wait until June before ordering more. Last week I did a full inventory of all the tea at my house (not just Earl Grey), and the number was embarrassingly high. So in addition to this project, I’m focusing on drinking up some of the older teas in my collection before I buy anything new. (Because let’s be honest, what are the odds that I go to a site to get Earl Grey and I only get Earl Grey? Pretty low.)

    One of the things I’m surprised to discover is how few Earl Grey blends there are based on green tea. I haven’t added one to my queue in a while! There are a few on my wishlist, but even if I added those, I can see that Green Earl Grey blends are likely to be the smallest proportion of blends I taste. I assumed I would come across them regularly, because citrus and green tea go well together, but I was way off!

    I was tempted to do a side-by-side comparison of my original pie chart to this one, but I think I’ll wait until I hit the 50% mark. That, I think, will be a more interesting point of comparison. Do you have any predictions for either the 50% comparison or the 100% comparison? Let me know in the comments!

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:

    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes

    The Earl Grey Year Part 5: Cremes and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 6: Classics and Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 7: Classics and Special Variations

    The Earl Grey Year Part 8: Cremes and Variations Part 2

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share! 

    For more tea content, check out my tea pairings playlist on YouTube.

    Project References

    Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.

    Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al.  “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4

    Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. “Composition of Leaf Oils.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system 

    Lo Curto, Rosario. “Uses of Juice and By-Products.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Nishida, Kei.  “What Does Astringency Mean for Tea Drinking?” (n.d.) Japanese GreenTea Co. https://www.japanesegreentea.in/blogs/japanese-green-tea-lovers-in-india/what-does-astringency-mean-for-tea-drinking 

    Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot

  • The Earl Grey Year: Cremes and Special Blends

    The Earl Grey Year: Cremes and Special Blends

    As with last week’s post, this week I’m combining two categories: Creme Earl Greys and Specialty Blends. I describe each category in their respective sections. Since I simply have fewer of these tea categories in my Earl Grey lineup, combining them ensures they get written about in a timely manner. 

    A quick housekeeping note before I begin. Last week, you might have noticed that I started adding a reference list to the end of my posts. This list is a running inventory of all the reading I have done for this project, whether or not I have any citations in a particular post. I obtained many of these sources through my access to an academic library. If you want to access them and need help, let me know!

    Two Creme Earls

    Earl Grey Creme teas usually consist of black tea, bergamot, vanilla, and cornflowers. However, there is some variation within the theme. Blenders often omit the cornflowers, as they ostensibly only create pretty leaves and do not impart flavor (I disagree on the latter point; while the flavor is subtle, I find it easy to detect). A smaller number of blenders omit the vanilla. And, like bergamot, vanilla has a range of flavors depending on its country of origin. 

    Creme Earl Grey is not my favorite variation. It’s easy for the vanilla (if used) to overwhelm the bergamot, and often it tastes overly sweet or artificially creamy. Even when the blend is made by a skilled tea artisan, it’s simply not my preference. Still, the two teas featured in this week’s post were perfectly enjoyable, and if you like a creamy tea without the milk, these might be your new favorites.   

    Earl Grey Creme, The Steeping Room

    While it’s no secret that I’m a huge Steeping Room fan, I have to admit that this is not my favorite of their offerings. A Creme Earl is already not my preferred tea, so it’s going to take a lot to wow me. This is a perfectly nice cup, and I’m glad I tried it, but when I make my next Steeping Room order, I’m going to be stocking up on extra Eastside Earl Grey instead. 

    The main thing that kept me from loving this blend is that the bergamot doesn’t quite shine through enough when stacked against the creme flavor. This particular blend does not use vanilla. I know some of the creaminess is coming from the cornflowers, but I’m wondering if the “compliant flavor” listed on the label contributes to that as well. The bergamot is there, but some of its vibrancy is dulled. 

    Despite the fact that this Earl Grey Creme doesn’t suit my particular preferences, it’s still a nice, easy cup to drink. Someone who is a big fan of Creme Earls would probably enjoy this. 

    Earl Grey Moonlight, Adagio

    Adagio has a number of Earl Grey variations. Their Earl Grey Moonlight contains black tea, orange peel, blue cornflowers, vanilla flavor, bergamot flavor, and creme flavor. A sample pouch makes 10 cups, so I had ample opportunity to try this blend. The first time I tasted it, I was still recovering from bronchitis and had sinus congestion. However, the dry leaves were so fragrant that I could still smell everything! Between that and the prettiness of the dry leaves, it made a nice first impression. 

    As for the steeped tea, it was an enjoyable cup, though I felt that the vanilla overpowered the bergamot. The flavor was smooth and enjoyable, and everything was well-balanced enough that I could drink multiple cups in one day . . . but when push came to shove, I didn’t especially want to. I would have a cup of it and then be ready to move on to another tea. 

    As with The Steeping Room’s version, if you like a tea that has a creamy flavor without having to add dairy, you would probably love this blend. People who enjoy vanilla would probably enjoy this as well. Certainly if I was given the choice between a straight vanilla flavored tea and Earl Grey Moonlight, I would choose the latter. I like vanilla, but it’s just not my favorite tea flavoring, so I enjoyed having some citrus to balance it out, even though it didn’t really shine.

    Two Special Variations

    Special variations are Earl Grey blends that do not fit easily into one of my other categories. For example, a blend that includes a mix of green, white, and oolong tea (as described below) is a special blend because it includes three types of tea rather than just the standard black. Special blends might also include unusual additives, such as coconut (you’ll see an example of that featured in a later post). 

    Special variations can be fantastic, or they can fall flat. When they’re done well, they provide an innovative approach to a common tea blend. They bring a sense of surprise and fun into the drinking experience. When done poorly, however, additives can overwhelm classic flavors, or the tea can feel like a novelty beverage. 

    Smoky Earl Grey, Fortnum & Mason

    In my very first post of this series, I wrote about a disappointing tasting experience with Fortnum’s Earl Grey Classic. Their Smoky Earl Grey was the complete opposite experience; I adored it. According to the Fortnum & Mason website, this blend was the original Earl Grey the company created and sold. It was developed because a member of the royal family requested an Earl Grey blend with more oomph. They did not disappoint!

    The smokiness of this blend comes from the inclusion of lapsang souchong and gunpowder green teas. Because the blend includes both green and black teas, and because lapsang souchong is not a standard Earl Grey base, I’ve classified this as a special variation. 

    The success of this brew is a testament to the skill of Fortnum’s blenders. It would be easy for the lapsang souchong in particular to completely overwhelm the bergamot. However, they have managed to create a cup in which the citrus and smokiness hold their own. It’s a unique tasting experience.

    Earl Grey Supreme, Harney & Sons

    The Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme combines black, oolong, and white tea, which is what places it in the Special Variations category. This is a visually stunning blend, with the brown oolong leaves creating a sense of texture, and the silver tips providing contrast. The dry leaves also smell stunning. You can sense all of the teas along with the citrus. 

    In terms of taste, the black tea dominates the oolong and white tea. I was hoping for something a little more dynamic, but it didn’t register with my palate. The bergamot is bright and vibrant, and shines even though there is plenty of flavor from the tea itself. 

    The Earl Grey Supreme is a popular blend among Harney fans, which illustrates that even a beloved blend isn’t right for every single tea drinker. Although the flavor was good on the whole, there is a tannic intensity that prevents me from truly enjoying it. I can have a single cup and then I’m done. As someone who prefers to pick one tea and drink it all day long, it’s disappointing that my stomach can’t handle much of this blend. I’m also not clear on what causes that issue for me, as this is the first time it’s happened on this project.

    By the Numbers

    As of this writing, I’m officially at the 25% mark! The yellow on the tracking chart is getting bigger, and I feel like I’ve hit a real project milestone. I also only have three more teas to taste in order to stay on track for March, and considering we’re barely a third of the way through the month, I’m in a comfortable position. 

    Since so little time has elapsed since my last project update, I’ve only sampled two new teas, meaning that the proportions haven’t changed very much. Posting this category breakdown right at the 25% mark did inspire me to go back to the first post in this series to see what has changed. On January 20th, I only had four categories; now I have six. Classic Earl Grey still dominates, with Floral Greys still in second place. Creme Earl Greys and Special Variations still are proportionately tied. While a few things have changed, much is still the same. 

    Now that I’m more caught up with the blogging portion of this project, I’m not sure what the topic will be for the sixth installment. It might be another round of classics, or it might be another mix of categories. Either way, expect at least one more update in March, if not two.

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:

    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics
    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals
    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics
    The Earl Grey Year Part 4: Greens and Tisanes

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share! 

    For more tea content, check out my tea pairings playlist on YouTube.

    Project References

    Note: This is an ongoing list of all the reading I have done so far for this project. The bibliographic entries here are not necessarily cited in this specific post.

    Avila-Sosa, Raúl et. al.  “Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Oils.” Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety. Ed. Preedy, V.R. (2015). Elsevier Science & Technology. pp. 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416641-7.00027-4

    Di Giacomi, Angelo and Giovanni Dugo. “Origin, History, and Diffusion.” Citrus bergamia: Bergamot and Its Derivatives. Ed. Dugo, Giovanni and Ivana Bonaccorsi. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15375

    Heale, Christopher. (n.d.) “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.” Herbs & Kettles. https://www.herbsandkettles.com/blogs/blog/a-guide-to-the-tea-grading-system 
    Twinings. (n.d.) “What is Bergamot?” https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-bergamot

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    The Earl Grey Year Part 3: Four More Classics

    Between winter weather and the foibles of the United States Postal Service, I was worried that I was going to completely lose momentum on this project in February. Although I had plenty of tea on hand to stay on track with the tasting schedule (I only need to sample 9 blends a month to stay on track), I didn’t have enough variety to get four teas in the same category, which meant I couldn’t keep up with blog posts. 

    The short version of the story is that January’s winter storms meant that my samples from Cove Tea Company went out about two weeks later than planned. Obviously that couldn’t be helped. But the parcel got shipped as soon as the weather cleared, and was supposed to be delivered by February 6th. After it cleared customs on the West Coast, it was at a distribution center in St. Louis . . . and then for some reason sent to Chicago to go through customs again. After that, it bypassed St. Louis and ended up in Dallas, then Louisiana, and then went through another round of customs in Miami before finally making it to my house on February 26th. And at no point was anyone at USPS able to offer me an explanation for what happened. But I have to say, nothing creates a business/customer bond like the shared experience of constantly tracking the adventures of a tea package that seems to be having a great road trip.

    Fortunately, my friend @royal_teacups on Instagram sent me an abundance of Earl Grey samples. Although the package had to make its way across the ocean, somehow it arrived in just over a week, while my Canada package was meandering all over the place! I really appreciate Inessa’s generosity because a number of the samples she sent me would be difficult to get in the United States. Plus I get to try some brands I might have never encountered otherwise! This bumper crop of tea samples meant I finally had enough classic blends to do another post on that category.

    Four More Classics

    As a reminder, I define a classic Earl Grey as containing black tea and bergamot. No more, no less. The tea can be single-source or it can be a blend, and the bergamot could be from any of the various regions, but a standard Earl Grey should only contain these two things. 
    In this post, I cover some Earl Grey teas from companies large and small, including a revisit of the first Earl Grey I ever tried. The final two teas are part of the package that @royal_teacups sent me.

    Earl Grey, Bigelow

    Back in my first post for this project, I alluded to the fact that a certain Earl Grey tea making me ill caused me to avoid the blend for years. For the sake of being polite, I chose not to reveal the name of that brand. After all, I was still new to tea; perhaps an error in my preparation had made it that unpalatable. But since I ended up drinking the Bigelow Earl Grey for this project, I think the context is important.

    I didn’t set out to revisit the Bigelow Earl Grey. I have not consumed a cup of it since that day in my dorm 18 years ago, when I could make it only halfway through the cup. However, one day I was eating lunch at work and noticed that, among the assortment of bagged teas in the breakroom, were several boxes of Bigelow Earl Grey. And I figured it would be foolish to not make a cup of it for this project, especially when it was freely available and only required a walk across the office to acquire. Acquiring 100 different Earl Grey teas requires a bit of effort, so once in a while, it’s worth going for the low-hanging fruit.
    I’m happy to report that this time around, the Bigelow Earl Grey did not produce any ill effects! In fact, I was surprised to find myself loving the first sip! The bergamot was more toward the lemon end of the spectrum (as opposed to orange), and the blend was smooth. Unfortunately, as the tea cooled the bergamot flavor seemed to weaken. I suspect that this tea being in a standard commercial tea bag (as opposed to a sachet or loose leaf) is part of the problem. The leaves in commercial tea bags tend to be fannings (or sometimes dust, but I imagine a company like Bigelow uses fannings), and while those can produce a highly concentrated tea flavor, sometimes that can overwhelm other aspects of a blend. (For more information on fanning and other tea grading terms, check out this great blog post from Herbs & Kettles: “A Guide to the Tea Grading System.”)

    Earl Grey Français, Artful Tea

    Although the name might suggest otherwise, this blend from Artful Tea is a straight-up classic. The tea base is a blend of Ceylon and Yunnan teas, and the Français in the name refers to the French bergamot that is used for flavoring.  

    In my quest to understand the differences between Italian, Turkish, and now French bergamot (which so far have been largely unsuccessful), I did learn that bergamot became fashionable in France in the 16th century, when aristocrats wore it in perfume. (For more information on the history of bergamot, check out “What is Bergamot?” from the Twinings blog.)

    This is an absolutely beautiful blend, and is my favorite of the teas I tried for this post. I think there’s something about French bergamot that really resonates with my palate, because I tried this tea on January 26th (over a month before I was able to write this post), and I am still thinking about what an excellent tea it is. This blend uses Yunnan tea as the base, and something about that particular tea with the right amount of French bergamot is magical.  

    It’s on par with my known favorite, the Eastside Earl Grey (EEG) from The Steeping Room. Once I’m done collecting samples of Earl Grey from far and wide, this is a tea that I can see living alongside the EEG as a permanent part of my tea stash.

    Earl Grey, Magasin du Nord

    Magasin du Nord is a famous department store in Copenhagen, so I’m grateful to @royal_teacups for the teamail, since I don’t imagine I’d have had a chance to try this otherwise! I did have to run the website description of the tea through Google Translate, but thanks to translation software, I was able to find out that this Earl Grey uses a blend of black teas, though it doesn’t specify which ones.

    Whatever teas they use, the black tea flavor is delightful. The bergamot tends toward the subtle side. As I sampled it, the main word that came to mind was “refreshing.” Even though I was drinking this tea hot on an unseasonably warm day (80 degrees Fahrenheit in February!), I truly felt refreshed after drinking it. There’s no bitterness to the tea; everything is bright and delicious. This is an easy tea to drink. Between the smoothness of the tea and the lightness of the bergamot, I don’t think this particular tea would be enhanced by milk or cream. If you like sweetener, though, I think honey would be a marvelous addition to this blend.

    Decaf Earl Grey, Lupicia

    This tea really fell flat for me. The leaves looked nice; this tea was packaged in a pyramid sachet so the leaves had room to expand. However, after steeping this tea from Lupicia, the best adjective I could come up with was bland. It wasn’t a terrible tea; the Keemun they used had a strong, earthy flavor. But I could barely detect any bergamot. I tasted the black tea almost exclusively, and had to really seek out traces of citrus.

    I admit to having a bias against decaffeinated tea, but I did my level best to go into this tasting with an open mind. When I was really having trouble picking up the bergamot flavor, I even took a break and drank some sparkling water to cleanse my palate and try again. Ultimately, though, I didn’t particularly enjoy this as an Earl Grey.

    By the Numbers

    I’m closing out February slightly ahead of schedule, with a total of 20 teas sampled since the start of the year. With all the tea mail I got at the end of the month, I don’t need to worry about acquiring more samples for a while, which is a good feeling. The volume of Earl Grey in my tea collection also means that I’m going to be able to write these blog posts more frequently. 

    A pie chart showing that my tea tasting project is 20% complete

    Traditional Earl Grey blends still dominate the tasting list (no surprise, considering this is the second post devoted to them). However, in February I also drank more special variations, and also added some Earl Greys made with green tea, as well as some Earl Grey tisanes (herbal teas). 

    A pie chart indicating the proportions of each type of tea I've consumed so far.

    With the new samples that have come in, I expect to be able to write about special variations and tisane Earl Greys in the near future. I’m also excited to finally be able to delve into the variety of samples I got from Cove Tea Company!

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:
    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics
    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share! 

    For more tea content, check out my tea pairings playlist on YouTube.

  • The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    The Earl Grey Year Part 2: Four Florals

    This was supposed to be a blog post about four Lady Grey teas. Because until this past Tuesday, I was living under the belief that Lady Grey tea was Earl Grey with lavender. I was living under this impression because the only tea named Lady Grey that I drink regularly is from The Steeping Room, and that contains lavender. But after seeing a number of Earl Grey and lavender teas that weren’t called Lady Grey, and also noticing that the Edith Grey from Big Heart Tea Company contained rose, I began to question whether or not I actually knew what the Lady Grey blend was supposed to include. 

    I ended up creating polls on Threads and my Instagram Stories soliciting input on what Lady Grey tea actually is. Some people shared helpful articles or left comments and voice notes. I learned two things from my polls:

    1. Lady Grey tea was in fact developed by Twinings in the 1990s. It’s a trademarked blend that includes lemon and orange peel in addition to bergamot. 
    2. I’m not the only one who was confused about Lady Grey tea.

    My Threads poll showed the greatest Lady Grey literacy; most people identified the blend as Earl Grey plus citrus, but over a third of respondents thought that Lady Grey contained lavender. (One commenter said they thought that Lady Grey simply contained less bergamot than regular Earl Grey, which is also a thing I have heard, but can’t remember seeing.)

    A screenshot of my Threads poll about Lady Grey tea.

    On my Instagram stories, on the other hand, 75% of respondents said they believed that Lady Grey contained lavender, while only 25% correctly identified it as Earl Grey with citrus peel. 

    A screenshot of my Instagram poll about Lady Grey tea

    I had initially been tracking every floral Earl Grey as a Lady Grey tea, but now that I know otherwise, I have changed the category to Floral Grey. Rather than just have a category for Earl Grey with lavender, I created a more expansive title to focus on any sort of floral inclusion. I think Earl Grey is a fantastic base for any number of flowers, and I don’t want to pigeonhole too many blends in a miscellaneous category, so Floral Grey is the new category from here on out.

    Four Floral Grey Teas

    This week’s entry doesn’t just introduce the category of Floral Greys. I also get to write about two local companies! All of these companies have online ordering, allowing you to sample their teas even if you live far away.

    Organic Lady Grey Black Tea, The Steeping Room, Austin, TX

    Although billed as a Lady Grey, this is a lavender-based blend. The ingredient list includes black tea, lavender flowers, bergamot oil, and lavender extract. The dry leaves look absolutely gorgeous with a fragrance to match.

    This blend has a mellow sweetness to it, almost like honey. I’m not sure what specific black tea is used in the blend, but it’s a nice, well-rolled full leaf, and I’m guessing it’s the characteristics of the tea bringing out that particular flavor. The ratios of bergamot and lavender also work well together. I find bergamot to be a little delicate, and because of that it can be overpowered by other flavors. But the folks at The Steeping Room have struck a solid balance. While their Eastside Earl Grey remains my favorite, this is an excellent tea for lavender-lovers.

    Edith Grey, Big Heart Tea Co., St. Louis, MO

    This is the only blend in this week’s update that does not include lavender. Per the Big Heart Tea Company website, Edith Grey tea contains single-origin Malawi tea, bergamot oil, and rose. I got this blend as part of the 12 Days of Cozy Tea calendar I bought back in December. (Since I was already doing a standard advent calendar, I saved the 12 days for the actual Christmas period, though I actually ended up saving this blend so I could drink it as part of the project.)

    I really wanted to love this tea. Rose is an iffy flavor for me, but I always want to be able to champion my local businesses. While many of the teas in the Cozy Tea Calendar were fantastic, I’m sorry to say that the Edith Grey blend wasn’t one of them. Neither the bergamot nor the rose came through enough for me, and considering I often find rose overwhelming, that’s really saying something. The black tea base was excellent, but unfortunately, it dominated the rest of the inclusions.

    I will say that among existing Big Heart customers, the Edith Grey is a popular blend, with 4.7 stars (out of a possible 5); the blend is also often sold out. Perhaps the amount that ended up in my Cozy Calendar teabag was not a representative sample; perhaps the physical proportions were unbalanced. 

    (Because I just can’t bring myself to be totally negative about a small, local business, I will say that there were other teas in the Cozy Calendar that I loved. The Winter Chai and Royal Treatmint were my favorites.)

    Earl Grey with Lavender, Cornucopia Kitchen, Kirkwood, MO

    I received a sample of Cornucopia’s Earl Grey with Lavender blend from a coworker when she saw me drinking a cup of Earl Grey at the office. She didn’t even know I was doing this project, just gave me a bit of her purchase in order to share the joy of tea! I can’t speak much to the specifics of this blend, because Cornucopia has a minimalist website, but on the whole, I enjoyed it.

    In this cup, I found the lavender to outshine the bergamot in both the smell and the initial taste. That being said, as the tea cooled, the bergamot flavor was able to come through a bit more. Of the lavender Earl’s I’ve tasted so far, this one had perhaps the weakest bergamot taste, but it was nonetheless enjoyable. (It’s also worth remembering that everyone’s palate is different, and while I crave a hearty bergamot taste, that’s not everyone’s preference.)I think someone who is iffy about the taste of bergamot but wants to explore more Earl Grey teas would enjoy this very much. 

    While I don’t get out to Kirkwood very often, the next time I find myself in the neighborhood, I will make sure to pay Cornucopia a visit, and I would probably purchase this blend again.

    Earl Grey Lavender, Artful Tea, Santa Fe, NM

    Artful Tea’s take on a floral Earl Grey is my favorite of this category so far. While the aesthetics of the dry leaf aren’t everything (a dry tea can be visually stunning but taste terrible . . . we’ve all been there), the addition of cornflower petals alongside the lavender creates a blend that is gorgeous to look at both before and after steeping. 

    While the lavender is the star of the show, it manages to shine without overwhelming the bergamot. I think that the addition of the cornflower petals helps balance things out. While cornflowers are often considered to have a neutral flavor, I know many people (myself included) detect a faint sweetness from them. I’m not a supertaster, but whenever I taste cornflower in a blend, it brings with it a sort of light, creamy sweetness. 

    This is a tea I will definitely add to my Earl Grey rotation. The only reason I wouldn’t recommend this to someone is if they didn’t like lavender, because that particular flavor is unmistakable. Other than that, though, I think this is an excellent blend.

    By the Numbers

    As of this writing, I’ve tasted 11 different Earl Grey teas, putting me slightly ahead for February. I have 8 more untasted teas in my spreadsheet, plus my Instagram friend royal_teacups is going to mail me some Earl Grey from Denmark! When February starts I’ll finish my Artful Tea samples, as well as dive into the Cove Tea Company samples that got delayed two weeks due to the wild winter weather.  

    A pie chart illustrating project completion.

    Classic Earl Grey teas are still the dominant style I’ve had, with Floral Greys in a close second. While I haven’t tasted an Earl Grey tisanes yet, I have a few in the queue, as well as some more special blends. I’m not sure yet whether I’ll return to Classic Earls in the next post, or branch out. We’ll see where the tasting menu takes me! 

    A pie chart illustrating which categories of tea I have tasted so far.

    Support the Project

    Read previous installments here:
    The Earl Grey Year Part 1: Four Classics

    Enjoying this series? You can support my tea wishlist here, or contact me if you have samples you want to share! 

    For more tea content, check out my tea pairings playlist on YouTube.