What kind of day is it? The kind where I try my first ever earl grey maté. I’ve tried black (obviously), green (sure), and even a rooibos, but never a maté on this theme. WHO IS READY FOR EXCITEMENT?
For those of you who haven’t tried maté, it’s a caffeinated South American leaf that’s not, technically, the same type of plant as tea. It has a smooth taste that’s, in my opinion, closest to a green/coffee flavor. It’s an underdog of the tea world, a feisty up-and-comer that doesn’t quite fit in.
This earl grey creme is VERY creme-y. It’s got oodles of vanilla, almost enough to wash out the tang of the bergamot and the mate, but not quite. The sweet-vs-tangy battle is an interesting taste experience and the backbone of the flavor profile. They manage to coexist, but my brain flicks back and forth between the two like kids on a see-saw. They’re both present in the aftertaste.
All in all, while I enjoyed this tea’s kicky nature, its duality is a bit overwhelming. I’m not sure that this is the one for me. But it’s totally worth trying, especially if you’re an Earl Grey afficianado and want to complete the “set.”
Fusion Sweets has an option on its site where you can order a sampler.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: Fusion Sweets
Description
Similar to Earl Grey tea with the creaminess of vanilla but without the astringency of black tea.
We’ve scented yerba maté with Italian oil of bergamot and sweetened with vanilla beans.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl’s Garden from DAVIDs Tea. . . .
Earl Grey blends can be a little bit bitter/sour. The bergamot sometimes comes on a bit strong. That’s why you see a lot of Earl Grey Cream blends (or people say it’s perfect with milk). Putting in the strawberry is a great solution to the problem. Boom! Sweetness! Plus a little bit MORE zest!
For this tea, Earl channeled his feminine side by adding a bit of strawberry. His strawberry garden is heavily fortified to keep the bunnies out — but the bunnies keep digging.
On one side, you have Earl, adding in traps and building layer after layer of elaborate, Tim-Burton-style wraught-iron fences.
On the other, you have the bunnies, each charmingly spotted and plump. Some of them probably wear hats. They have charts of where Earl’s improvements will be built, and a bunch of Rube Goldstein-style workarounds.
This premise should be a claymation film.
I’d watch it.
So would you.
Unfortunately, this tea is currently sold out at David’s Tea. But I imagine it’ll come back. I’ve seen this tea in their selection several times. If you’re dying to try it, it’s available on Amazon, but it’ll be less expensive if you want for it to return to David’s Tea. Add it to your wish list and keep an eye out!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: DAVIDs Tea
Description
This tea is not currently available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey De La Creme from Steeped Tea. . . . .
I love Earl Grey. His wife, Lady Grey, was my first foray into teas I really loved, and I am grateful to the two of them. They’re like super-old friends.
So when I got this Earl Grey de la Crème, I was excited to take it for a spin. But not right away. I needed to wait for that Perfect Moment when I needed a lift
Now it’s a Monday morning and pouring, so boom. Tea time. Let’s DANCE, Mr. Grey.
This tea is, as promised, very creamy. VERY creamy. There is also a little bit of the bergamot still there, but it’s buried under the blanket of cream and vanilla flavor. I don’t mind this. I’m very pro cream flavor, even though I drink nearly all of my teas black. Unlike the David’s Tea cream, which I found to be a little too cloying/sweet, this cream feels authentic. Like I’m at some kind of decadent rich person party.
If you’re interested in trying some of this tea, Steeped Tea has an independent seller structure. Like Lularoe, or Mary Kay, where you need to find a consultant.
It’s a Canadian company.
Before your heart sinks (as mine did), note that there’s a way to search by ZIP. And yes, there are American consultants.
I live smack-dab in the middle of Pennsylvania, and I typed in my ZIP, and there was someone about half an hour away. Which is surprising. Because I really do live in a cornfield. With about 42,000 college students, but still a cornfield. (As some comedian joked about our town: “cow. cow. cow. cow. 42,000 college students. cow. cow.”)
So anyway, there’s hope in getting this tea (and perhaps others!). Take a look and maybe support a local entrepreneur.
Hope everyone’s having a perkier Monday than I am!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Steeped Tea
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey from Virginia Tea Company. . . . .
I knew I was going to love this tea as soon as I opened the packet and smelled it. It has the familiar floral scent of Earl Grey teas, but it was much milder.
I have had some really delicious Earl Grey teas, and some that are too overpowering with the floral notes. I usually have my black teas with a little coconut milk and some raw sugar, but today I was out of sugar. So I brewed the tea and added a little almond milk. I expected it to be a little meh with no sweetener, but I am happy to report I was wrong about the meh.
It was delicious with just the almond milk. The floral notes were there, but subtle.It had almost a toasted flavor, with just a hint of floral. It was a perfect cup to help gently wake me up on this cold, blustery morning.
This is like Earl Grey for beginners, and I mean that in the best way. It’s subtle and gentle, not over the top and aggressive. It feels very sophisticated, and as I breathed in the scent and closed my eyes,
I pictured myself somewhere fancy having a cup of tea and stimulating conversation. If you like earl grey tea, I can’t recommend this blend from Virginia tea Co. enough!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Virginia Tea Company
Description
This organic tea is delicately flavored with bergamot in order to give it that rich, dark taste that is easily appreciated by all those with strong taste buds. Earl Grey pairs amazingly with ice in the summer.
Ingredients: Fair Trade, Organic Black Tea, Bergamot Flavor
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
London Fog from Harlow Tea Co
I’ve been on a big afternoon tea kick lately. (Not like I’m not always on an “every time, every place” tea kick, but still.) My rules for a great afternoon tea? Refreshing, comforting, caffeinated but not buzzy, something that wakes me up as much as it helps me find peace and relaxation during the craziness of the day. Harlow’s London Fog seemed to fit the bill of just what I was looking for, with lavender and lemon to balance the caffeination of the black tea.
Following suit from the name, I brewed this one strong in about half the amount of water I’d normally use, swirled in some honey and filled the rest of my cup with steamed coconut milk for a delicious London Fog latte.
As for flavor, this one delivers on the lavender big time. It’s a delightful and slightly unexpected play on Earl Grey, and it hit the perfect balance of caffeine + calm for me once the afternoon doldrums hit. I’m not getting a ton of lemon in my cup, but I suspect that has more to do with my addition of milk than the tea itself.
It takes a lot for an earl grey to blow me out of the water, but this one hits all the notes I’d hope for plus a twist of the unusual with the addition of lavender. A great blend to grab when you need a little afternoon pick-me-up, for sure!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Black Tea
Where to Buy: Harlow Tea Co.
Description
Ingredients: Earl gray tea, lemon peel, and lavender flower.
Contains caffeine
Ever had a London fog latte? Well I wanted to make my own version. This black tea, with a hint of citrus and lavender, is perfect on its own or in a latte.
Want to try the latte? Steep the tea in 4 oz. of water, strain and add to 4 oz. of steamed milk for the perfect tealatte.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
