Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
Traditional Earl Grey is a classic, great for every season. With the Earl of Anxi, we start not with a black tea, but with our Master Zhang’s Hand-Picked Tieguanyin to give the bergamot a sweet, bright base and reinforce the floral citrus notes. We draw out the citrus sweetness with a uniquely creamy and rich orange peel, and crystallize the florals into a prominent position with jasmine blossoms.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is really a unique take on Earl Grey – unique but very enjoyable!
What is so remarkable about this blend is how incredibly balanced it is. This Earl of Anxi has a very balanced fragrance as well as flavor and the result is a very smooth tea. Unbelievably smooth!
Verdant Tea has found a way to balance all that is unique about Earl Grey to create an uncommonly smooth version of the classic tea. First, let’s think about the aroma of an Earl Grey tea, because let’s face it, that’s usually the first thing you notice about Earl Grey … that beautiful scent of bergamot! But the fragrant note of the bergamot is something that is noticeable not just by scent but also distinguishable by taste. That’s why sometimes bergamot in an Earl Grey can come off as “perfume-y” because one not only smells the heady aroma of the bergamot orange but also tastes it. Don’t believe me? Try plugging your nose when you drink Earl Grey and you’ll notice that it tastes different.
The way that the Oolong tea melds with the floral notes of the jasmine and the fruit tones of the orange and goji berry is really remarkable. It is so creamy and fluid. Smooth like silk.
To my recollection, I’ve only tried Frankincense in one or two other teas, but based upon my memory of those experiences, I can taste the Frankincense now. It has a somewhat perfume-ish quality to it, very aromatic and exotic to the nose and to the palate.
The frankincense and saffron offer contrast and balance to the fragrant flavor of the bergamot, as does the jasmine, while the goji berry accentuates the citrus tones. The oolong offers a creamy taste that is the basis for the smooth flavor and texture of the tea. It is the conduit for the incredible smoothness of this tea.
A sweet, beautifully balanced, delicately spiced, exotic cup of tea that is so delightful that it is almost impossible to describe. It is one of those teas that you MUST try to believe. It’s an amazing tea.
Earl Grey Black Tea from Nina’s Paris
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Teas
Where to Buy: Nina’s Tea Store
Tea Description:
Bergamot from Sicily. The smoothness of Keemun (Black Tea) together with the freshness of bergamot. An ancient recipe that was handed down by a high dignitary of China to Earl Charles Grey. A classic that definitely shouldn’t be missed.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I opened my sample of this Earl Grey tea from Nina’s Paris, I’ll admit that I was a little disappointed and skeptical about whether or not I’d like this Earl Grey, because the aroma was very faint. Not just faint, but there was hardly any discernible bergamot fragrance. And when it comes to Earl Grey, I want BERGAMOT!
Now that the tea is brewed, the bergamot scent is a little stronger than it was with the dry leaf. And the flavor doesn’t disappoint! Quite the contrary, this is a superb Earl Grey!
The bold flavor of the Keemun black tea base gives this tea a little added “umph!” that makes a real difference in the overall flavor. I love that rich, smooth flavor of the Keemun together with the tangy-sweet notes of the bergamot. The wine-like notes of the Keemun marry beautifully with the citrus fruit, and creates a very harmonious taste.
And the slight smoky note of the Keemun also adds some interest to the cup without overwhelming it. It’s not a heavy smoky tone, just a little wisp of smoke in there that keeps the taste buds intrigued.
The bergamot is stronger in flavor than the fragrance led me to believe, but it isn’t an overpowering bergamot flavor. Typically, I like a good, strong bergamot essence, but, I like the subtler approach of the bergamot here, because it works to the favor of the complexity of the Keemun, allowing the palate to explore the many different notes within this cup. It’s not all about the bergamot, nor is it all about the Keemun. It’s a really interesting combination of flavors, one that I am enjoying very much.
This is a really good Earl Grey. Definitely worth a try if you’re an Earl Grey enthusiast like me, or even if you are just looking for the “right” Earl Grey for your tea cupboard. You should definitely try this one, it’s different enough from the standard to make it stand out from the pack.
Inverness Estate Black Tea with Essence of Bergamot from Eden Grove
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Amazon Trading
Ingredients:
Black Tea with natural bergamot flavor.
Learn more about Amazon Trading here.
Taster’s Review:
I saved my review of this tea for a while since TeaEqualsBliss had also reviewed it, and I figured I had a lot of other teas from Eden Grove to sample, so I’d save this bergamot for one of the last ones I’d try from this company. Well, that and … it IS bergamot. I saved what I thought I’d like best for one of the last teas I’d try from them.
Now that I taste it, I can’t say that I do actually like it best. I think there were some other teas from Eden Grove that I preferred over this Inverness Estate Black Tea with Essence of Bergamot. That’s not to say that I dislike this one, because it’s actually quite nice.
That said, when it comes to bergamot, I prefer it strongly flavored and this is a little on the subtle side. The Iverness single estate black tea is brisk, however, I think I’d like the bergamot to be on even footing with the robust flavor of the black tea and it isn’t.
There is a nice, bright, citrus-y note to this, but it tastes more like lemon than it does bergamot to me. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, but, for an Earl Grey fan like me … I’m all about the Italian orange! I want bergamot!
Overall, this is a tasty cuppa, and I was happy with it. I just could have been even happier if the bergamot were stronger.
Planters’ Earl Grey Tea from PMD P.M. David Silva and Sons
Tea Type:
Black Tea
Where To Buy:
PMD Teas/ P.M. David Silva & Sons
Product Description:
We have taken this cherished tea back to its roots. Many of the Earl Grey teas on offer are created to misguide consumer’s senses. Tea makers mask poor quality tea with blue cornflowers as a visual distraction and then over scent the tea with artificial Bergamot essence. At PMD we have selected a high quality low grown tea and married it with natural bergamot oil; creating you a heavenly aromatic experience whilst finishing with smooth, citrus notes.
Tasters Review:
This tea is a real thinker. Here’s why…first off…it’s a bagged tea. BUT…it’s a GOOD bagged tea. The more I drink it the more I like it. Sure…you have the convenience of the bagged tea but it goes beyond that! FINALLY! An Earl Grey in a bag that is NOT mediocre but pretty darned impressive! It has a solid black tea base and THEN it’s accompanied by the traditional Earl Grey flavors. It’s not ‘just’ the flavor nor is it ‘just’ your run of the mill black tea shavings in a bag. It’s not overly scented but the flavor shines especially after a strong steep and cooling naturally at room temperature for just a moment or two. Dare I say…that THIS Earl Grey Bagged Tea is my favorite Earl Grey Bagged Tea to date? It just may be.
Earl Grey Tea from The Jasmine Pearl Tea Merchants
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where To Buy: The Jasmine Pearl Tea Merchants
Tea Description:
The fresh fruitiness of our medium-bodied Earl Grey is sweet, not soapy. Aromatic and balanced, Earl Grey is excellent both hot or served over ice. Traditionally, Earl Grey is made with black tea as a base – we use Chinese Keemun (Qimen), from the Anhui Province in east-central China, and Ceylon, from the major tea-producing island of Sri Lanka.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
While shopping at Chuck’s Produce, I noticed that they had some Earl Grey tea offered by The Jasmine Pearl Tea Merchants in the bulk section. I love getting tea in this section because:
- The teas are sealed air-tight in tins (not glass or plastic jars).
- I can get a sampler size of the tea rather than buying a full 2 – 4 ounces of the tea.
- Chuck’s has never let me down when it comes to freshness or quality of products, so I feel confident that I can trust them with tea.
And this Earl Grey is excellent! I’m glad that I got a little bit of this to try!
When I opened the tin to measure some tea into a small cellophane bag, I was overjoyed by the aroma – a STRONG bergamot fragrance! It smells amazing.
And I couldn’t wait to try it. I brewed up a pot later that same evening when I brought it home. LOVELY!
This is a really wonderful Earl Grey. I love that the base black tea is a blend of Ceylon and Keemun teas. This offers a rich, flavorful background that isn’t overly aggressive, but is still bold and full-flavored. It is a very smooth, well-rounded taste. It’s not bitter and it’s only very mildly astringent toward the tail. I like that what little astringency there is here seems to accentuate the tangy qualities of the bergamot flavor.
The bergamot used here is a high quality bergamot. Full of citrus-y flavor that is highlighted with subtle floral notes, but not at all perfume-ish. The burst of citrus flavor lasts well into the aftertaste. The taste buds really perk up from the bright bergamot notes.
So I find that this Earl Grey leaves me in a bit of a quandary. I have my hierarchy when it comes to Earl Grey. I have my favorites, to be sure! But this one is seriously good and it belongs right near the top – at the very least in the top five (if not closer to that number 1 spot!) Should I feel sad that one of my other favorites is becoming displaced by this newcomer, or should I feel overjoyed that I have found a new favorite? I think the latter rather than the former.
An exceptional Earl Grey – a MUST TRY to those of you who love Earl Grey like I do.