Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Teas
Where to Buy: Teas Etc
Tea Description:
This inspiring blend of Jasmine green tea, Earl Grey black tea and rose petals has become one of our most popular.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf looks absolutely beautiful and smells incredible. Lots of red rose petals throughout, and the aroma is an engaging combination of roses, bergamot and jasmine.
And it tastes as good as it looks and smells, too. I’ve tried this a couple times now, the first time, I brewed it without realizing that there was also jasmine green tea blended with the black tea, so I used boiling water. This did not seem to have a scorching effect on the green tea, or at least, not one that I could discern.
However, for the second time that I brewed it, I wanted to try a lower temperature to see if I could encourage more of the jasmine and green tea flavors to emerge. And while I was successful in achieving this goal – brewing at a lower temperature of 185°F brought the jasmine green tea notes more into focus – I think with this particular blend, I prefer the results when brewing with boiling water.
When I brewed it with boiling water, I could taste the “Rosy Earl Grey” notes more prominently, the bergamot and the rose were very distinct, while the jasmine and green tea notes were a little lost. Not completely lost, as I could taste hints of jasmine and green tea as I sipped, but, there was no real distinct jasmine or green tea flavor.
This time around, using a lower temperature, the jasmine is much more distinguishable, as is the green tea flavor. I can still taste the rose and the bergamot, but, these become a little more muddled as the jasmine emerges. Even though I do adore jasmine, I think with this blend, it is best served as what it should be: Rosy Earl Grey.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed both cups of tea immensely. In that first cup, the rose was so strong, almost evenly matched with the tangy bergamot notes. The blend of teas provided a nice background of flavors: primarily that of black tea, I could taste earthiness and hints of vegetation as well as a pleasant sweetness.
In the second cup, the jasmine emerged as the focal point, sweet and exotic, and the rose notes accented the jasmine tones very nicely. There was a hint of sharpness to the cup, something I noticed less with the first cup than now with this second cup. The bergamot was light but it still had that zesty tang to it, and the tea flavors were more vegetative than earthy this time, lighter and not quite as sweet.
If you have an Earl Grey enthusiast in your life, this would make a perfectly romantic Valentine’s Day tea gift for them! I am really glad I finally got around to trying this tea, it is spectacular!
