Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tisane Description:
This is one of the most original takes on Earl Grey tea available, Honeybush Earl Grey, takes the classic taste and puts it with a honeybush based tea instead of the traditional black tea. True to its name, this is one sweet tea that takes the addition of bergamot orange perfectly for a fruity and sweet cup of tea that is sure to please any palate. Made with only premium South African honeybush tea and true bergamot the taste is a distinct Earl Grey that will become a staple in your day. Perfect for a treat, or to satisfy the sweet tooth of the sugar lover in your home.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This is definitely one of the most unusual variations of the classic Earl Grey I’ve yet to try, and it is no surprise to me that it comes from Red Leaf Tea, as they have the largest collection of Earl Grey teas I’ve seen from a tea purveyor. This delights me because not only am I a big fan of Earl Grey tea, but, also, when I was just starting out in the tea business I wanted to have a vast Earl Grey collection.
Unfortunately, I did not succeed in that quest, mainly because it is quite difficult to blend Earl Grey! It is one of the trickier flavors to perfect for many reasons: not only is the quality of flavoring important, but also, the amount of flavoring is key … too much bergamot, and you’ll wind up with a tea that tastes like your grandfather’s aftershave, and too little and well, it’s not flavorful enough. So when I come across a tea purveyor that has got it right, I’m impressed.
And this Honeybush Earl Grey from Red Leaf Tea is very well done, indeed. The dry leaf aroma smells of honey, citrus and even a hint of flower. The fragrance is really quite lovely. The infusion smells like a mellower version of the dry leaf.
Wow! This tastes amazing. The honeybush offers its usual honey-like sweetness to the cup, and also brings a somewhat herbaceous flavor and a nutty note to the party. The bergamot is less floral than the aroma suggests, and it is less sharp than a classic black tea Earl Grey might be. It has a zesty citrus tone to it, and it tastes bright and tangy.
This is a refreshing change from the traditional Earl Grey, and it’s really nice to be able to enjoy Earl Grey later in the evening, when I usually have to limit my caffeine intake. This tisane allows me to have my Earl Grey and drink it too!
Pu-Erh Earl Grey from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh & White Tea
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Aged Pu Erh tea has some similarities to green tea but yet still has a taste all its own for tea lovers to enjoy. This aged tea is combined with bergamot oil to create a new take on the traditional Earl Grey tea. Pu Erh Earl Grey uses only the finest aged Chinese tea along with bergamot and a touch of peony to balance out the flavor. The result is a strong cup of tea with amazing citrus tones and a hint of floral accent. Pu Erh tea has a distinct strong flavor that tea lovers will recognize instantly and the Earl Grey blend is one that will take this aged tea and make it a favorite of everyone.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
For those of you who have read very many of my reviews on different types of Earl Grey tea, you’re probably well aware that I’m carrying on an unabashed, passionate love affair with the Earl. So when I am given a new Earl Grey to try, I get very excited.
But, I can say that this was one Earl Grey that I was not excited to try. I was even a little nervous to try it. I love Earl Grey, but, I’ve had my ups and downs with Pu-erh. And while I am slowly coming to terms with the rather assertive nature of Pu-erh, and even gaining some appreciation for the tea, it’s taken quite a while for this to occur, and I wasn’t too sure I was ready to try my beloved Earl Grey as a Pu-erh.
I did not steep according to the instructions on the website, which suggest a boiling temperature for 5 – 7 minutes. Instead, I got out my gaiwan, eyeballed a measurement of the tea in the bottom of my gaiwan, added hot water (190°F) and put on the cover. I did a quick rinse, and then allowed the first infusion to steep for 45 seconds, and the second for one minute, and these two infusions were combined in one cup.
The Pu-erh is a shou Pu-erh, which means it has been fully ripened. It is strong and earthy. But, fortunately, the bergamot is also strong, and the bright, tangy character of the citrus fruit shines through. Also in this blend is a sprinkling of white tea, which surprised me when I first opened the pouch, as I didn’t expect to see Silver Needles in the package. I don’t know that I can taste much of the Silver Needles’ contribution to the cup, but, I can’t say that the tea would taste the same without this component.
And I have to say that despite my misgivings about the idea of a Pu-Erh Earl Grey, this is quite good. Delicious even! It earned a It’s not going to earn its way into my list of favorite Earl Grey teas, but, it certainly has earned a spot on my list of preferred Pu-Erh Teas.
I like this!
Girlie Grey Tea from Jeeves & Jericho
Tea Type:
Black Tea
Where To Buy:
Jeeves & Jericho
Product Description:
Now for something completely spectacular, our Girlie Grey is our own special recipe. It isn’t quite Earl Grey or even Lady Grey, Girlie Grey is both a visual and gastronomic extravaganza, a boudoir in a cup.
This medium-bodied black Assam tea contains pretty rose buds and slivers of dried orange pieces. It is a delicious dance of flavours with a decadent vanilla sweetness contrasting with a classic zesty citrus bergamot taste that form this inspiring, bold and refined infusion. A truly theatrical tea for all the senses
Ingredients:
Black Assam tea, dried lemon pieces, rosebuds and natural vanilla flavour.
Tasters Review:
I received this one from a friend…and I LOVE IT! I’ve never been accused of being a Girlie Girl but this is FAB! The lemon paired with the vanilla is something special and those paired with the mellower Earl Grey make for a lovely flavor combo and an interesting and creative Flavored Earl Grey! It’s sweet yet citrus and offers more than just your standard EG! This is very memorable and quite tasty! I like this!
Rosy Earl Grey from Teas Etc
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Teas
Where to Buy: Teas Etc
Tea Description:
This inspiring blend of Jasmine green tea, Earl Grey black tea and rose petals has become one of our most popular.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf looks absolutely beautiful and smells incredible. Lots of red rose petals throughout, and the aroma is an engaging combination of roses, bergamot and jasmine.
And it tastes as good as it looks and smells, too. I’ve tried this a couple times now, the first time, I brewed it without realizing that there was also jasmine green tea blended with the black tea, so I used boiling water. This did not seem to have a scorching effect on the green tea, or at least, not one that I could discern.
However, for the second time that I brewed it, I wanted to try a lower temperature to see if I could encourage more of the jasmine and green tea flavors to emerge. And while I was successful in achieving this goal – brewing at a lower temperature of 185°F brought the jasmine green tea notes more into focus – I think with this particular blend, I prefer the results when brewing with boiling water.
When I brewed it with boiling water, I could taste the “Rosy Earl Grey” notes more prominently, the bergamot and the rose were very distinct, while the jasmine and green tea notes were a little lost. Not completely lost, as I could taste hints of jasmine and green tea as I sipped, but, there was no real distinct jasmine or green tea flavor.
This time around, using a lower temperature, the jasmine is much more distinguishable, as is the green tea flavor. I can still taste the rose and the bergamot, but, these become a little more muddled as the jasmine emerges. Even though I do adore jasmine, I think with this blend, it is best served as what it should be: Rosy Earl Grey.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed both cups of tea immensely. In that first cup, the rose was so strong, almost evenly matched with the tangy bergamot notes. The blend of teas provided a nice background of flavors: primarily that of black tea, I could taste earthiness and hints of vegetation as well as a pleasant sweetness.
In the second cup, the jasmine emerged as the focal point, sweet and exotic, and the rose notes accented the jasmine tones very nicely. There was a hint of sharpness to the cup, something I noticed less with the first cup than now with this second cup. The bergamot was light but it still had that zesty tang to it, and the tea flavors were more vegetative than earthy this time, lighter and not quite as sweet.
If you have an Earl Grey enthusiast in your life, this would make a perfectly romantic Valentine’s Day tea gift for them! I am really glad I finally got around to trying this tea, it is spectacular!
Dark Chocolate with Earl Grey Tea from Dolfin
Information:
Dark Chocolate Bar
Where to Buy: The Meadow and other locations where Dolfin Chocolates are sold.
Chocolate Bar Description:
A perfect mix of contrasts: the refreshing sweetness of the bergamot blends perfectly with the strong taste of the chocolate. For afternoon tea, a chocolate with a British accent.
Learn more about Dolfin here.
Taster’s Review:
Recently, I visited the North Portland location of Little Big Burger, and as I walked toward Little Big Burger, I couldn’t help but notice this little shop called The Meadow. They sell flowers, an array of finishing salts, bitters and chocolate. Yes, I said CHOCOLATE! How could I ignore this little shop? It begged me to stop in and at least take a look around.
But, of course, if I am around chocolate, I can hardly just “look around.” I must have chocolate! They have an entire wall dedicated to high quality chocolates from around the world. I can feel myself start to drool just thinking about it!
While it was difficult to settle upon just one (or two) chocolate bars, I knew my husband was waiting for me so I needed to hurry! Finally, I settled upon this Dark Chocolate Bar with Earl Grey Tea! This is a 52% Belgian dark chocolate bar with crushed Earl Grey Tea leaves. Not an “infused” chocolate, but, a chocolate bar with real bits of tea leaves.
The first thing I notice about this bar is the packaging. Very impressive! The package is a double folded “envelope” that keeps the left over chocolate (it’s quite a large bar!) fresh until you’re ready to eat more. I really like the package, it is clear that Dolfin is committed to maintaining their product’s integrity even after the package has been opened!
Breaking off a piece of the chocolate, I notice the snap of dark chocolate. Allowing the flavors to melt on my tongue, I can taste the smooth, rich flavor of bittersweet dark chocolate meld with the tangy citrus notes of bergamot. As I eat this chocolate, I can feel the tiny bits of tea leaf in the chocolate. The leaves add a little bit of crunch without feeling gritty and because the tea has been finely ground, it won’t leave leaf particles stuck in between the teeth!
While I don’t taste a lot of black tea flavor (there is some, just not a lot), I definitely taste the bergamot, and when it comes to Earl Grey tea, I want to taste BERGAMOT. The black tea becomes more distinct as I continue to enjoy the chocolate bar, and it is more prominent when I allow the chocolate to melt on the tongue as opposed to biting into it.
This chocolate bar from Dolfin provides an amazing chocolate experience for the tea lover! And if your Valentine loves chocolate and Earl Grey … you should consider adding this to their gift. (How about a Chocolate and Earl Grey Gift Basket?) They’ll LOVE you for it!