Tea Type:Green Tea
Where To Buy:
Product Description:
Green of London is a particularly fine and well-balanced blend, consisting of an excellent Chinese green tea, a fresh and delicate bergamot, and flower petals – cornflower and blue mallow. An exceptional Earl Grey, finally available with a green tea base!
Earl Grey has been a great English classic ever since Charles Grey, 2nd Earl of Falloden and Foreign Secretary went on to become Prime Minister in 1830. For saving the life of the Chinese Mandarin, he received in gratitude a specially scented tea flavoured with oil of bergamot.
Tasters Review:
I received a lovely email from Fanja at Le Palais des Thes explaining that Green of London – Earl Grey Mao Feng is now available at their SoHo/NYC Store! Exciting!!! They sent the Sororitea Sisters a batch of their brand new US release and we are VERY excited to try this!
I must say – I cannot remember if I have had an Earl Grey flavored Mao Feng before. I know I have had Senchas, as well as other types of green’s that were EG flavored but I really don’t remember a Mao Feng!
I do really like this! They hit the nail on the head for EG flavor especially with the Green tea base, here! It seems to be the perfect level of EG flavor to be strong and true but you can still taste the Green Tea base which is grassy and sweet. The Bergamot is really nice too! And there is a hint of floral flavor and it increases as I continue to sip!
This is a nice sipping tea as well as a gulping tea. I enjoyed this hot and cold. Pretty brilliant!
I thought this was a pretty neat tea to review on my Birthday! CHEERS!
Vintage Earl Grey from New Mexico Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: New Mexico Tea Company
Tea Description:
A sophisticated twist to an undeniably sophisticated black tea. Vintage Earl Grey adds the subtleties of rose and lavender to the familiar well-loved tradition of Italian orange bergamot for a smashing afternoon delight. Enjoyed with an intimate circle of friends or in your own personal retreat time, this soothing and lively combination will stir memories of pleasant times well spent.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Vintage Earl Grey blend from New Mexico Tea Company is a very interesting combination of flavors … a really unusual but tasty twist on a classic favorite!
My first thought when I saw so many floral notes plus bergamot was that this would end up tasting like one of those fancy body washes that you might find in a specialty shop in the mall. And while I’ve not actually picked up a bottle of body wash and chugged it, I think I can still say that this does not taste like body wash … or soap … or perfume!
It is one of the more unique Earl Grey blends that I’ve encountered. The flavor is at once citrus-y/bergamot-y, rose, lavender, and rosemary, with a background of black tea flavor. The black tea base is rather subtle and even a tad overwhelmed by the presence of so many strong flavors … but that does not mean that I do not taste the black tea. It just means that it is not as prominent as it would be in a traditional Earl Grey blend. While it doesn’t stand out and say “Here I Am” to the palate, it comes through in the background. There is only a wee bit of astringency and no bitterness with this tea.
In one sip, I notice notes of rose, lavender, bergamot, resin and pine, plus a backdrop of black tea. The rose is the first flavor that I notice immediately. The bergamot then comes through, offering its distinctive citrus-y, tangy flavor. The lavender takes a few sips to really be recognized … and I think this has something to do with the other ingredients actually “altering” the usually distinguished flavor of lavender … it took me a little while for me to recognize the flavor as lavender … whereas if this had been a straightforward lavender scented black tea, I would have noticed the lavender immediately because of the lack of other ingredients to taint the lavender’s presence.
The rosemary is there too, and I like the sharp, pine-ish flavor that it offers the cup. It really does give this a ‘vintage-y’ kind of flavor together with the rose and lavender. It’s quite remarkable.
I really enjoyed the way this tea came together. It is indeed DIFFERENT, but, different isn’t always bad. In this case, different is definitely GOOD, and it was unique and interesting enough to keep me sipping!
Pink Earl Grey Green Tea from Fusion Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Fusion Teas
Tea Description:
The classic idea of bergamot turned into a very enthralling new blend on this green tea base. Invite your sweetheart to this pink version of the traditional English Tea Time and the wonderfully fruity and sweet rhubarb flavor will put your two hearts in tune!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I do love Earl Grey, however, I tend to be less excited about green Earl Grey (and other types of tea other than black tea flavored with bergamot) because I am of the opinion that bergamot pairs better with black tea. And while this Pink Earl Grey Green Tea from Fusion Teas did not change that opinion … I am still finding this to be really quite enjoyable.
I think what makes it enjoyable for me are the characteristics that are present other than the bergamot notes. Oh, the bergamot notes are still there, certainly, and they provide a pleasantly crisp, tangy flavor, but, I think that it’s the rose and the rhubarb (yes, that’s what I said: rhubarb) that makes this tea stand out.
The green tea offers a lightly sweet, smooth base for the flavors, and the bergamot is not overpowering. It doesn’t come off soapy or perfume-y, it’s actually quite mild as far as Earl Grey teas go. There’s just enough bergamot to give it that distinctive citrus-y flavor without coming off as artificial.
The rhubarb … well, I have a confession. I’m not all that familiar with the flavor of rhubarb. I have had a few teas with rhubarb in it, and I may have had a dish or two that has had rhubarb in it. And quite recently, my husband and I selected a rhubarb soda when we were at our local “natural food” market. When we go there, we like to choose one of those fancy sodas. You know what I’m talking about, right? The sodas that cost like six bucks for a four pack … but in the refrigerated drink section, they usually sell those sodas individually so that you can buy one bottle and not go too broke. Anyway, we chose a rhubarb soda, and it took about a half a sip for me to realize that I did NOT like it and wasn’t going to give it a second chance either. My husband did give it a second chance, and his second sip wasn’t any better than the first.
But that experience hasn’t soured me on rhubarb, but it did sour me on that particular brand of sodas. But … I digress.
Let’s get back to the tea, shall we? The rhubarb here gives the cup a very interesting … strawberry-ish taste. Quite unexpected. Is rhubarb supposed to taste like strawberry?
And then there is the rose. The rose is so nice in this, offering a sweet, floral taste … but again, it doesn’t go overboard. Like a little kiss of rose (Kiss from a Rose?) Or perhaps two kisses. Just enough to give it a very enjoyable rose essence without tasting too rosy.
I love the way the components of this tea come together. The green tea … light and sweet. The rose … sweet and floral. The bergamot … an undertone of bright citrus-y flavor. The rhubarb … strawberry-ish.
Yep … another winner from Fusion Teas. I’m not surprised… they always seem to impress me!
Diamond Jubilee from Harney & Sons
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Tea Description:
This special edition tea has been created in celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee (1952-2012) and her accession to the throne 60 years ago.
The tea is a bespoke blend which includes the Queen’s favourite, earl grey tea, plus black teas, lemony bergamot and grapefruit essences.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve wanted to try this tea since it was released last year … and thanks to an online friend sending me a couple of sachets of this tea, I’m finally able to do just that!
I’m really liking this. I am not usually a big fan of Harney’s bagged teas, but, this one is nice, which leads me to believe that the loose leaf will be even better.
The flavors of bergamot and grapefruit mingle together very nicely to create a bright, citrus-y tone that is on the tart side, but I don’t find the tartness here to be off-putting the way I might normally … somehow it just works with the rich flavor of black tea to create a taste that is very satisfying. It tastes very deep and complex, with earthy notes and hints of malt and floral notes that accent the fruit tones nicely. And in return, the sunny citrus notes lighten up the tea just enough to keep the palate from feeling inundated. The many facets of this tea come together in a really lovely way.
And what is actually impressing me the most here is that I am enjoying it as much as I do, and it is a bagged tea. And as I said above, I can only imagine how much more I will love the loose leaf. I will have to remember to add some of the loose leaf in my cart the next time I’m shopping with Harney & Sons!
Earl Grey #1 from Kally Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Kally Tea
Tea Description:
This is a traditional favorite in most western cultures. Our #1 blend is created with high grown Sri Lanka Ceylon tea, along with citrus bergamot fruit flavoring oils, not artificial flavorings. These flavorings do not mask the taste and characteristics of the tea itself. We here at Kally Tea felt this blend deserves a #1 behind it as the taste is traditional Earl Grey, but yet has a very distinct characteristic that other Earl Greys do not match. As our product line expands, we will present to you other blends that are of equal quality, but will have different traits. So please enjoy this first offering; Earl Grey #1!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve said it on numerous occasions, and I’ll say it again: I love Earl Grey!
There have been many stories told about how Earl Grey tea came to be, I really don’t care about the legends and tall tales behind it, I’m just glad that it did happen, that somehow someone out there decided to combine the essence of bergamot and black tea together to create this marvelous drink. There are few teas out there that make me happier than a good cup of Earl Grey!
What does surprise me is how different they can all be. It seems like every tea company out there has an Earl Grey … but they aren’t all the same. So, it amazes me (and kind of irritates me, if I’m being honest) when I hear of someone claiming they don’t like Earl Grey. I want to ask them “How many Earl Grey teas have you tried?” “Which Earl Greys have you tried?” Because it’s such a generalized statement to proclaim that someone dislikes Earl Grey.
I mean, yes, there are some pretty grody Earl Grey teas out there (Yes, I was a valley girl), but for every bad Earl Grey tea that there is, there are at least two or three good ones, and at least one or two AMAZING ones. This Earl Grey #1 from Kally Teas falls somewhere in between the good and amazing. It isn’t the best Earl Grey that I’ve had, but it is definitely a good one, and perhaps even a bit better than just good!
This is really CLASSIC Earl Grey. It is bergamot and black tea. The bergamot is good and strong and has a vibrant flavor and aroma. It is distinctly bergamot. It doesn’t have a fake, perfume-y kind of taste to it. It tastes like tangy citrus fruit with notes of flower.
The black tea is a strong tea – a Ceylon, which I typically think of as mild, but here it plays a stronger role than I anticipated! It has a fair amount of astringency that starts off soft and gradually builds, and then begins to taper off as the tea cools off. I suspect if served iced, this would have only a mild amount of astringency. Served hot, it has some, but, I don’t find it bothersome, in fact, I think it enhances the bergamot flavor.
Overall, a very good cup of Earl Grey – this is one I’d be happy to have on hand for that time when I just NEED some Earl Grey! And I have those moments often!