Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Souvia
Product Description:
A Souvia exclusive! We compine the flavor of real vanilla, earl grey and lavender. Mellow and mild, a great soother.
Ingredients: Black Tea, Organic Lavender, Vanilla, Bergamot oil, flavoring
Taster’s Review:
This is lovely!
I adore a good Earl Grey tea, and this takes a good Earl Grey two steps further with the addition of lavender and vanilla. This isn’t an Earl Grey Cream or an Earl Grey Lavender – it’s both! Two great tastes in one (or perhaps I should say three great tastes in one!)
The black tea provides a solid base for this blend. It is strong and flavorful with a light astringency that hits at the tail. The astringency is delicate and slightly dry, allowing for enjoyment of the sweetness of the vanilla tones in the aftertaste.
I find this tea to be very well-balanced. No one flavor seeks to overthrow another. The sip begins with the brisk strength of the black tea, and the bergamot comes up immediately which is tempered with the smooth, creamy taste of vanilla. The lavender comes in about mid-sip, a beautiful, mellow floral taste.
The overall cup is quite soothing and smooth, sweet and delicious. I would recommend this to the tea drinker who finds most Earl Grey teas to be a bit too strong or overbearing for their tastes – this one is very mild and calming. Very nice!
Superior Earl Grey Tea from Canton Tea Co.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Canton Tea Co.
Product Description:
A truly superior Earl Grey that takes this traditional favourite to a completely different level. Unusually it is made with a blend of Darjeelings from the world renowned Goomtee and Glenburn Estates and then infused with natural oil of Bergamot (the oil extracted from the rind of the Bergamot orange). A light scattering of orange blossom petals adds to the visual appeal. It has a lively fresh taste, with the soft base flavours of the Darjeelings balancing the bright citrus notes.
This tea needs to be tasted to fully appreciate just how good an Earl Grey can be. Naturally it bears no resemblance to the mass-produced Earl Greys – but being made with such extraordinarily good black teas as a base, it may just be the best Earl Grey you’ve ever tasted.
Taster’s Review:
I do adore Earl Grey tea, as most of you probably know by now. And this is a decent Earl Grey offering, although I don’t know that I would go so far as to say it is the best I’ve ever tasted. It’s certainly pleasant though.
The Darjeeling base offers an interesting set of flavors on its own. The fruity notes of the Darjeeling together with the bright citrus tones of Bergamot create an interesting taste. It is a lighter base than most Earl Grey teas, but it makes for a delightful afternoon tea.
The Bergamot is not quite as strong with this Earl Grey as in others I’ve tasted, but, it works here because it allows for the subtle nuances of the Darjeeling to be appreciated. I am finding the Bergamot to be just a little on the tart side. While it is usually quite tangy, this is veering toward the sour side of things. Not a bad thing – just different.
Overall a nice Earl Grey, and it would make a good choice for those who sometimes find the Bergamot in other Earl Grey teas to be a bit overbearing. You may find this lighter touch to be just right for you. A little sweetening is fine with this Earl Grey, but I wouldn’t recommend milk with this one – it would overwhelm it.
Cream Earl Grey from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Product Description:
Earl Grey is world reknown as a classic English tea – probably as famous as Tower Bridge or Big Ben, and if you are fan of Earl Grey and have not tried this, you are in for a treat. Cream Earl Grey has a taste that is smooth with vanilla overtones, which stand out above the premium bergamot flavor – the signature taste of Earl Grey. This is a tea that would complement a meal or any aristocratic occasion for that matter! One has to think that Charles Grey (1764-1845) would have approved of this delicacy.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I love Earl Grey tea! I also enjoy the modern variations of this classic, such as this Cream Earl Grey from Culinary Teas. The light touch of vanilla softens the sharp tones of the bergamot, making for a sweet, creamy tasting tea with that distinct Earl Grey background. Nice!
The black tea base is pleasant. It is not aggressive nor would I consider it to be a particularly bold tea, but it is strong enough to hold its own. It is mild and smooth and melds nicely with the creamy, calming tone of the overall cup.
In most Earl Grey teas, the bergamot flavor is front and center, but with this Cream Earl Grey, it steps back a bit and lets the creamy vanilla flavors play the lead. The vanilla is sweet and smooth and lends a decadent flavor to the blend, while the bergamot weaves its way in and out of the sip, never disappearing for too long. That is to say, as I sip this cup, I am continuously reminded by the bergamot flavor that this IS an Earl Grey tea. A deliciously different Earl Grey Tea!
As with most Earl Grey teas, I prefer this one served hot. I find that the flavors present themselves more distinctly when the tea is hot, and as it cools the flavors become slightly blurred. It is still quite nice as a chilled tea, but to get the full enjoyment from this cup, I recommend drinking it while its hot.
Organic Lavender Earl Grey from Two Leaves and a Bud
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Two Leaves and a Bud
Product Description:
We added organic French lavender flowers to an Organic Assam base to create this smooth, refreshing and relaxing Lavender Earl Grey. Layers of wild honey and a light bergamot citrus finish make this the perfect variation on a theme for Earl Grey fanatics.
Taster’s Review:
I am, indeed, one of those “Earl Grey fanatics” as mentioned in the above description. I love Earl Grey!
And the more Earl Grey teas that I drink, the more I am starting to discover just how much I like the Earl Grey with Lavender varieties. I like how the flowery notes of the bergamot meld with the flavor of the lavender. It creates a unified floral tone for the cup.
The base of this tea is a strong Assam tea. It has a malty note to it and a bold character that holds up well to the sometimes aggressive flavor of bergamot. By doing so, the bergamot remains strong but doesn’t overpower the cup and come off tasting pefume-ish.
One might think that the addition of the lavender would increase the odds of it tasting perfume-ish, but it really doesn’t. This addition allows the floral tones to flourish, however, the Assam is sturdy enough to keep the flowery notes from going crazy.
This is a very pleasantly smooth, rich tasting Earl Grey with a lovely twist. It has a light astringency and a sweet finish. If you like Earl Grey, you’ll love this one!
SororiTEA Sisters Blend from Blends For Friends
Tea Type:
Black Tea
Where To Buy:
Blends For Friends
Product Description:
Custom Blend made for SororiTEA Sisters based on these Questions and Answers…http://www.blendsforfriends.com/bpages/friend.html
A blend for those who truly appreciate the taste of a great beverage. A bright and diverse infusion of creative characters that are full of flavorsome charm. Enjoying fine top notes and far-flung origins, this lovely combination is the perfect accompaniment to rest, relaxation, and reviews!
Ingredients:
Only the finest quality tea: Sri Lanka Uva Black Tea for bright liquor and fine top notes. Cocoa Shells for flavorsome charm. Orange Blossom for bright character. Rose petals for creative style. With natural Bergamot and Chocolate flavor for great taste.
Tasters Review:
I have been procrastinating on reviewing this NOT because I didn’t enjoy it because I REALLY do enjoy it and NOT because I didn’t know what to say because – as you scroll down and read – you will see I have a LOT to say about this tea! And what I have to say is ALL GOOD! Another reason I waited to do a full length review about this tea is because each time I drank a cup of it I found something new and/or different I liked about it!
Here were my very first impressions of this tea…
This tea is just TOO special! The SororiTEA Sisters were lucky enough to have Blends For Friends create a custom blend just for us and it’s really awesome! These ingredients are great and the aroma and taste has some interesting surprises along the way! WOW! This is just FUN!!!
I’ve had over a dozen go-arounds with this tea and each time was a new and fun experience! For example…one attempt was more of an Earl Grey and citrus type taste whereas the next was a combo of Dark Chocolate and Earl Grey Flavors. Next cup I found a nice chocolate tea with a few floral notes. Other cups were mostly chocolate and very yummy and just when I thought I knew what to expect in the next cup – the flavor would change just a tad to release yet another surprise in flavor! There were times where I could taste the rose petals more than the other flavors or visa versa but each time I really enjoyed my cup and found it was a great tea to start the day with!
This tea goes beyond the aroma and taste tho! These blends are custom made based on answers you give this wonderful company! They have a way with words, too, just take a look at the product description above!
And their presentation is gorgeous! The generous amount of loose leaf was stored in a heavy-duty yet classy tin gently placed inside a sophisticated plain black box and then wrapped in a silky and stylish ribbon.
And you can tell from their friendly and fast email responses that their customer service is top notch, too!
I like everything about this company and this tea they made for us! It’s so neat to an official SororiTEA Sisters Blend of Tea! Thanks so much – Blends For Friends! You are a Gem in the tea world!
