Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Herbal Republic
Company Description:
Contains black tea, blue cornflowers and bergamot extract.
Soothing blend of selected darjeeling, blue cornflowers and bergamot extract.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve stated on Steepster, this is a masculine Earl Grey. While I think that Earl Grey should probably be masculine, because it is named after Earl Grey… and yet some Earl Grey teas that I’ve tried (and I’ve tried quite a few!) come off a bit flowery and are a bit more feminine than the name would suggest.
But, not this tea. This is why I would call a masculine Earl Grey – and tastes the way I would expect an Earl Grey to taste: fresh, bright, bold and daring!
I think it’s the Darjeeling tea. The muscatel qualities of the Darjeeling meld together quite nicely with the bergamot, and give it a different flavor than a typical Earl Grey. Bergamot, as many of you probably already know, is a fruit – an Italian orange, to be precise. And while it does offer a citrus-y punch to Earl Grey blends, it also has a somewhat flowery note to it that often gives Earl Grey teas a somewhat feminine flavor… or at the very least, a more androgynous flavor.
But the muscatel of the Darjeeling – that slightly woodsy, musky note – seems to unite with the bergamot to offset some of the more flowery tones to the fruit, and allow the distinctive citrus flavors to shine through. The result is a taste that is brisk and pungent: very pleasant with a slightly sharp edge and not at all floral.
This Earl Grey is delicious and refreshingly different. I prefer it hot (as I do with most Darjeeling teas) but it is also quite good chilled, although the flavors are a bit softer in the cold tea. It is good without sweetener; however, if you choose to ice it, I do recommend adding a little sweetener to give the flavors a little more gusto. A very good Earl Grey!
