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!
Rani Collection Organic Earl Grey from Hope and Glory
The more tea friends I meet online the more I realize that Earl Grey is hit and miss for some people. Lucky for me – I’m generally a fan of Earl Grey – so today I would like to share with you Rani Collection Organic Earl Grey from Hope & Glory!
The dry leaf aroma is stereo-typically Earl Grey potent but once the hot water is added and the loose leaf infused it tones down a bit in terms of potency-aroma-wise. Rani Collection Organic Earl Grey from Hope & Glory still smells pretty terrific in the cup just before sipping! And then once I took a sip…there is that Earl Grey flavor I was looking for! It’s not an overbearing EG flavor, tho, I must point out.
Rani Collection Organic Earl Grey from Hope & Glory doesn’t have an overbearing EG Flavor but it’s not a plain or weak flavor either. It has a nice level of Earl Grey and makes for satisfying sipping!
I appreciate the aftertaste being a bit on the weaker side – I have to say! Some EG’s give you that bitter and over-the-top bergamot oil linger – but NOT this aftertaste! Rani Collection Organic Earl Grey from Hope & Glory ends softer than some Earls and leaves behind a more pleasant citrus linger that makes me want another cup! Rani Collection Organic Earl Grey from Hope & Glory just might be a tea to tempt those who are uneasy about other Earls! Dare I say – give it a whirl? I did and I enjoyed it!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Straight Black Tea
Where to Buy: Hope and Glory
Description
A scented black tea which may be taken with or without milk.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey from Metolius Artisan Tea
I love a good cuppa Earl. But I also like to pick out what makes an Earl Grey DIFFERENT, too! Today I have a WONDERFUL Earl Grey offering for you! It’s Earl Grey from Metolius Artisan Tea.
First…what makes Earl Grey from Metolius Artisan Tea different? A few things. Metolius Tea combines three high-grade black teas from small production farmers in Yunnan, China, combined with genuine farm-direct Italian bergamot, pure Madagascar vanilla bean, and bachelor’s buttons.
What are Bachelor’s Buttons, you might ask? Well, I know I sure did ask. It’s a start shaped annual that is native to Europe and Asia. Their frilly blossoms shows in pale blues, purples, pinks and reds. They are also known as cornflowers. But they looked more vibrant purple/blue than most I have seen in other Earl Grey’s and even other teas. So that was one thing I had to make mention of in this review for sure! A little fun fact…Bachelor’s Buttons were discovered in the tomb of King Tutankhamen who died in 1340 B.C. The 1-1/2 inch blossoms were woven into a beautiful wreath and given to the King to aid in the afterlife. Tip of my hat to Planet Natural for that tidbit!
Next I have to mention that the tea leaves in Earl Grey from Metolius Artisan Tea are a gorgeous mishmash of shapes and sizes. Some are longer and winding and others are rolled. Magnificent!
Earl Grey from Metolius Artisan Tea is one of the more intensely flavored EGs I have ever had! So if you LOVE Earl or love to try different ones, like to see who has the biggest and the best when it comes to the more intensely flavored EGs I would HIGHLY recommend Earl Grey from Metolius Artisan Tea. It’s so good I am going to include it in one of my upcoming Top Tens…so be sure to be on the look out for that! Yup! Two thumbs up on this tea from me…a true diamond in the rough when it comes to Earl Grey’s!!! YUM!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Metolius Artisan Tea
Description
Our mission in life: create the best Earl Grey on the market. We bring you three high-grade black teas from small production farmers in Yunnan, China, combined with genuine farm-direct Italian bergamot, pure Madagascar vanilla bean, and bachelor’s buttons. Enjoy!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
French No.7 from Blue Hour Tea- An Earl Grey Tea Blend
Seeing is that I will not being going to France anytime soon I figured the best way to awaken my senses and transport myself over there – meditatively – is by sipping on French No.7 from Blue Hour Tea.
If you are drawn in by intensely fragrant teas make sure you put French No.7 from Blue Hour Tea on your list TO TRY! Basically this is their version of Lavender Earl Grey but a pepped-up version! Try certainly did NOT skimp on the contents of this tea and the proof is in the aroma!
The infusion is pretty impressive, too! French No.7 from Blue Hour Tea infuses to a lighter to medium brown color in the cup. The taste on the tongue is completely Lavender and Earl Grey. There is a very fresh end sip and after taste. Almost minty but I’m not saying there is actual MINT in this blend – it just seems so fresh, airy, and awakening at the end of the sip and with the after taste.
French No.7 from Blue Hour Tea is perfect for rough mornings or a tea if you want to clear your head, mind, and/or senses!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Black Tea
Where to Buy: Blue Hour Tea
Description
This is by far our most fragrant tea, just one sniff and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the beautiful streets of Paris! Our French No.7 blend uses a base of rich Earl Grey tea and has been mixed with a generous portion of lavender & cornflowers to create its wonderful floral aroma and flavour.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
A Unqiue Earl Grey-Mediterranean Grey from Balcony Tea
There’s a lot I don’t know about the history of tea– and even with what I do learn, the more I know, the more I realize there is to learn. All that to say– I have no idea if there actually *is* an Earl of Grey, but when I drink an earl grey tea, I have this very distinct impression of a stuffy-looking Earl in olde England, sipping his tea, twirling his mustache and saying things like “pip pip” and “old chap”.
This tea from Balcony has taken the traditional “pip pip” English grey and given it a delightful Mediterranean twist (I’m envisioning the same dude from before, maybe just with the addition of dark swoopy hair and a tan) with orange zest and calendula to bring some brightness to the normal floral notes of an earl grey.
Though bagged, the leaves are prominent and the steep is strong. I’ve happily found with much I’ve tried from Balcony that this is the case– while I might normally double-bag brew when I’m not using loose leaves, this one doesn’t require it at all.
A delightful twist on a traditional earl grey, and I suspect in the summer this one might make a great iced tea lemonade. Pip pip, indeed!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Black Tea
Where to Buy: Balcony Tea
Description
Black Tea – Finest Ceylon black tea to set off this blend perfectly. Orange Blossom – Deliciously fragrant with delicate floral honeyed aroma. Calendula Petals – A beautiful splash of sunshine yellow. Bergamot Flavour – The best quality Bergamot, a distinctively zesty citrus fruit of which the oil is used to flavour this tea, is grown in the Mediterranean.
Making a perfect cup:
Brew in freshly boiled water for 3 minutes and serve with or without milk.
Enjoy!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!