Dear Earl of Grey, (I’m just assuming that’s your title. Correct me if I’m wrong.)
I have to be honest with you, dude. Sometimes, you’re awesome. And sometimes– well, you’re just not. You can be fruity and tangy and light and mellow and robust and fragrant and creamy and all sorts of good things– but if you knock that balance off, even by an inch? Well, you can be kinda gross. (Sorry not sorry. My tea-reviewer oath ensures I tell it like it is.)
But this particular iteration of you? Well, you’re kinda dreamy. You’re fruity and bright, but creamy and vanilla-y– you know, the warm, buttery kind of vanilla, not the saccharine-sweet, fake-frosting kind. Mmmm. You take milk and cream well (way to play nicely with others!), and your bergamot and fruitiness isn’t anywhere near overpowering. In fact, I’d say this is one of your finer iterations. I’ve met your other “cream” brothers– they’re not all as well-balanced as this version, friend.
In short, I am a fan of you. I’m sure you’re very busy Earl-ing it up somewhere (you know, being caffeinated and all), but who doesn’t like to hear a nice compliment now and again? And that’s what I’m here to give you. Way to go, Earl Grey Le Crème. You should be pretty proud of yourself.
With sincerest sips, Mary
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
Our Earl Grey Le Creme is a forgiving indulgence essenced with bergamot, vanilla and cream. Go ahead, treat yourself!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey Tea from Wissotzky Tea. . . . .
For someone who does not like bergamot all that much, I seem to keep coming across Earl Grey inspired snacks all the time. First the London Fog Donut from Glory Hole Donuts and then the London Fog Caramels by Tout de Sweet, both of which I have written about here on SororiTea Sisters. Well, my most recent find is an Earl Grey truffle from The Golden Apple here in Toronto, Canada. Actually, I am not the one who found it, my sister was and she brought it home for me to try.
I decided to brew up an Earl Grey tea to see how the two compare. This particular tea bag is brisk. The citrus, rather than being soft or bright, is sharp. I am not one for adding to my teas but this might benefit from a bit of milk, which should curb the crisp bergamot. I would say this is a good means of waking you up but for me, it is maybe a bit too harsh.
The truffle, on the other hand, beautifully decorated with silver and lilac food paint, is creamy. The chocolate ganache is rich and holds the bright citrus of the earl grey well. I will say that at first the bergamot is more subtle than I would expect from an Earl Grey Truffle but it builds overtime. Maybe not my favorite offering from this particular shop but that could be because I didn’t have high hopes going into this given my personal biases against bergamot. Nonetheless, I can appreciate that it is a nice truffle and those who enjoy this flavor would probably be pleased.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Wissotzky Tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey Manhattan from Aromatica Fine Teas. . . . . .
This morning’s pick, Earl Grey Manhattan, has won awards, guys. Awards. And not just “whoops!” awards where the award went to them accidentally. (Oscar joke! Timely!) A real “best earl grey” at the North American Tea Championship.
The competition looked like this
(Original Artwork by Super Starling!)
And I can see why it did such a great job. The tea is obviously really high quality — it has deep earth, flower, and chocolate/raisin notes, a complexity that you just can’t get from a cheap-o tea bag off the street. (Or, I guess, in a supermarket. There probably aren’t a lot of black market tea vendors.) The bergamot is more relaxed and less shrill than bergamot can be. The texture is really silky, with a light tongue coating.
Smooth.
If you have a friend or loved one who is a bit of an Earl Grey snob, I recommend sending them this to try. It’s… a winner.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Aromatica Fine Teas
Description
North American Tea Championship: 1st Place – Earl Greys category – 2013 Fall – Hot Teas Division
Also known as “Manhattan Earl Grey” yields a bright taste and extremely fragrant cup. Black tea, sunflower blossoms, flavour, mallow blossoms.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Duchess’ First Love from Tay Tea. . . . .
Duchess’ First Love from Tay Tea is part of their black tea collection altho it is made up of a blended base of black tea and rooibos.
Tay Tea says Duchess’ First Love is perfect for chilly days. I’d agree with that statement! It has a creamy and dreamy Earl Grey flavor that is a bit on the mellower side blended with herbal rooibos and has sweet notes of caramel to boot!
I have to say I really enjoy the teas I have tasted from Tay Tea. After ten years of being in business in Andes, NY, they moved to their new home on upper Main Street Delhi, NY in 2016! They converted a warehouse building for their growing business. The front area, which houses their twelve foot tea bar, has a dual purpose and serves as their tea tasting and staff training area (for wholesale clients) as well as their retail shop, which is open to the public on weekends.
Tay Tea also hosts a variety workshops and events and if I lived closer I would TOTALLY be addicted to attending them! To read more about some of their recent events check out this page.
Is it wrong to say that I can feel my attitude change while drinking this tea? I think not…I really needed this today! Duchess’ First Love is a KEEPER!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black/Rooibos Blend
Where to Buy: Tay Tea
Description
Perfect for chilly days, this creamy Earl Grey blended with herbal rooibos has sweet notes of caramel.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl of Grey from The Tea Spot. . . . .
I GOT A FREE SAMPLE IN MY BOX! FREEEEEE! A PRESENT FOR MEEEEE!
Is there anything better than a free sample? One that you LIKE?
I didn’t order this because my life is full of Earl Greys. I’m “that girl that likes black tea,” so people tend to hand me Earl Greys. So when I was ordering myself a bunch of samples, I went, “meh, let’s skip this one. I know everything about every Earl Grey ever.”
This is a totally unique take on Earl Grey. It’s loaded with vanilla, orange, and… licorice root. It tastes a little bit like those Easter oranges you smash into a wall and eat. But with vanilla instead of chocolate. Really, really heavy into the sweet and zesty citrus.
Unfortunately, there’s that licorice root. It’s like when you’re listening to a song and somebody doesn’t QUITE nail the note.
Like the National Anthem of the United States before sporting events. The National Anthem is basically impossible to nail. People criticized BEYONCE when she did it. And Beyoné is literally perfect.
I would argue that we should get a new National Anthem. One that a person who can sing decently can handle.
So anyway, the licorice brings it down a little, but if you want a sweet and zesty Earl with a little extra moxie, give this one a whirl.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
Description
This unique blend takes traditional Earl Grey to the next level by combining the expected bergamot flavoring on full leaf black tea then adding the perfect proportions of other citruses, vanilla, licorice root, and mallow flowers. The result is a captivating aroma and a deep liquor with a well-balanced, smooth, bright, and slightly creamy flavor profile. This tea is for those who like to veer from tradition, explore new ground, and a must for those with fond memories of the orange-creamsicles of childhood. It pairs perfectly with strong cheeses or creme brulee.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!