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!
Shades of Earl Grey / Let It Snow from For Tea’s Sake. . . . .
I have said it before and I will say it again…Earl Greys are just not my favorite. I don’t love citrus teas and Earl Grey is all about the citrus. Cream of Earl Greys I can get behind a little bit more given the vanilla/cream elements but I still am not a lover. To me they just seem too brisk and sharp. However, the idea of a London Fog always appealed to me. For those who are not sure what I am talking about, a London Fog is an Earl Grey tea latte with a splash of added vanilla. Simple yet appetizing if you ask me, even with my dislike of the tea base. Well, I tried making one at home and things did not go as planned.
I was looking through my many teas and noticed that in the holiday sampler pack of For Tea’s Sake that I bought on Black Friday there was an Earl Grey. Not a Cream of Earl Grey. Not a flavored Earl Grey. Just a plain Earl Grey. And I thought to myself “I don’t want to drink that!”. But then I remembered all the eggnog I had left to use up and decided this would be a good time to try out a London Fog. So, I took my sample and got to work.
I used my normal measurements of one cup each of tea, eggnog, and milk to go into my 24 ounce latte mug. Because of how many ounces I was using, I made sure to use A LOT of leaf. In fact, I used the whole sampler. I got my vanilla and mixed it into the eggnog/milk mixture in the milk frother and got all excited for the treat that was in store. Except when all the appliances started beeping and alarms started chiming I realized the latte mug was nowhere to be found. In my panic to ensure the tea didn’t oversteep, I drained it out of the gravity steeper into a 16 ounce mug. Then, I hoped for the best and tried topping it with all of the eggnog/milk/vanilla. Of course it didn’t fit so I managed to spill the latte everywhere.
Anyways, next was the moment of truth. I took the first sip and of course it was all bergamot. Brisk, bitter bergamot. Now, this is probably due to the very concentrated flavor that should have been diluted by the other components…the components that didn’t fit in my undersized mug. Knowing this, I persevered. Drinking and then adding the eggnog/milk/vanilla mix as I made room in the mug. Eventually something wonderful happened and the flavors balanced out. Gone was the overwhelming citrus and in its place was a decadently creamy concoction of deliciousness. Classic bergamot brightness that was kept soft by the sweetness of the vanilla. Add to that the gentle spices of the eggnog and you get a smooth yet flavorful beverage.
I should mention that I believe this tea is For Tea’s Sake’s Shades of Earl Grey but it seems to have been rebranded as Let It Snow for the holidays so this review would apply to both those teas as they are one in the same.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: For Tea’s Sake
Description
The story goes that a gift of this tea was given to Charles Grey – 2nd Earl Grey and Prime Minister of England. The story goes that a gift of this tea was given to Charles Grey – 2nd Earl Grey and Prime Minister of England. Midnight blue cornflower pairs with traditional Earl Grey black tea to deliver this creamy tasting blend. A sensual experience for all lovers of tea to enjoy.
INGREDIENTS:
black tea, cornflower petals, natural flavours
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Blue from 52Teas
I usually imagine earl grey tea with a little bit of a bite, the kind of proper tea that staunch old ladies sip from fine china teacups in British dramas.
Once my mother sent me to an old-timey etiquette class led by a strict old woman. The tea we drank from teacups had a bite, black and tart, and a squeeze of lemon on top made my mouth pucker.
It was more palatable by the second cup with milk and sugar cubes but I always associate a bit of bite with that first cup of earl grey.
Earl Blue from 52teas would have been a better first cup for my childhood self. The darjeeling base minimizes astringency, making for a smoother, gentler cup of tea. Whole blueberries are sprinkled throughout the loose leaf and add a rich, berry sweetness.
There’s still bright citrus in the palette of flavor, but it’s easy and creamy, making for a drinkable cup even without milk and sugar. Citrus and blueberry are a well-balanced combination, not too sweet or sour, with enough traditional bergamot to earn the title of earl grey.
Earl Blue from 52teas is the perfect blend to drink out of a porcelain teacup when I’m feeling more playful than proper.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Darjeeling
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for the teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Starlight and Crime Scenes from Adagio Teas. . .A Sherlock Inspired Brew
Who didn’t love the last Sherlock season? So good! I loved each episode and can’t wait for the next season. . .if there is a next season.
Sherlock is one of those shows that my stepsons even enjoy. We actually love this show so much that we (and I really should say I) decided to name our dog Benedict, after Benedict Cumberbatch-who plays Sherlock in the series. The show is clever and cunning, always keeps you wondering what is coming next.
So it goes without saying that when I saw that there were several Sherlock inspired teas offered in the Fandom Blend section of Adagio Teas, I had to find one that fit my tastebuds. Most of the blends were either smoky or heavy into earl greys so to find one that had a fruity tart twist, I was giddy.
Starlight and Crime Scenes is a mix of green gunpowder tea, blood orange herbal inclusions, earl grey moonlight, and hibiscus. The earl grey moonlight is a creamy version of an earl grey and to me- doesn’t seem to have those heavy bergamot oil flavors.
Since this is a combination of green tea, black tea and herbals, I decided to keep my brewing parameters to 190F and allowed the tea to steep for 4 minutes. Within just a minute or two, my water turned into this lovely orange-red brew that reminded me there was hibiscus in the blend. But I’m quite happy to report that the hibiscus flavors work so well with this tea.
With this being a twist on earl grey, the first flavors you do get are creamy vanilla bergamot but they have a tart citrus twist. One of those teas that the more you drink it, the more you find you like it. At first I thought for sure this tea would get heavy but that hasn’t happened this steeping at all. The fruity flavors with the creamy notes really deliver a welcomed contrast to the strong beramot flavors that I’m not a huge fan of.
I will say, drink this tea hot or cold brew. As the tea cools, the tartness does start to overwhelm just a tad. But with a touch of honey, you are back in business!
For me this tea delivers a spot on Sherlock inspired blend. Perfectly balanced with the fruity tones and a more creamy sophisticated earl grey flavor. This is one of those teas that I’m going to crave more of and one that I could definitely see picking up the bigger size bag of.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green/Black Tea
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Based off The Paradox Series by wordstrings – The cup is full of Sherlock’s grey moods, blood and gunpowder from crime scenes, and some starlight. What else are we to live on? It’s the only tea you’ll ever want anymore.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
The Picture of Earl Grey from Novel Teas. . . . . .
I may not be the best person to review this tea as I don’t read piles and piles of books like some people do. I do, however, appreciate the literary connection with this tea. The tea at hand is The Picture of Earl Grey™ from Novel Teas which features their WILDE’S ROSY EARL GREY Blend.
To be honest I had to do a double take with this one. I really and truly thought I was drinking a heavily flavored ROSE Earl Grey Black Tea but I was mistaken. It seems The Picture of Earl Grey™ from Novel Teas is actually a combination of organic jasmine green tea and a rose-blended bergamot radiate hedonism and reflect your eternal beauty as you sip…of so the product description on the website says.
I will say the rose petals were very large, very floral in both aroma and taste, and were quite colorful! The rose was the primary flavor in this tea…hands-down! Then I could pick out a fairly solid Earl Grey likeness to the tastes on the tongue.
The Picture of Earl Grey™ from Novel Teas was inspired by Irish author Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray and goes perfectly with THE PICTURE OF EARL GREY TIN that is also sold by Novel Teas.
This is a highly flavored twist on an Earl and I have to say I enjoyed it! I can’t wait for another cuppa
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Novel Teas
Description
“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”
– Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
The delicate flavorings and novel-inspired decorations of The Picture of Earl Grey™ may deceive you at first. This tin and tea provide for an exquisitely deceptive and Wildely elegant experience for any new collector. Organic jasmine green tea and a rose-blended bergamot radiate hedonism and reflect your eternal beauty as you sip.
Inspired by Irish author Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ it makes a great gift for the book lover in your life.
Caffeine: Moderate
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
