Earls

earlsgarden

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Black

Tea Description:

When he wasn’t in China discovering secret tea recipes, Britain’s second Earl Grey lived at Howick Hall in England, just like his ancestors had done since 1319. And also like his ancestors, he was a keen gardener and outdoorsman. This tea would no doubt have suited him, with the characteristic black tea and bergamot highlighted by strawberries and essence of black currant.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

As I’ve said many times before, I love it when I come across an Earl Grey blend that is a twist on the classic favorite. And I’m really enjoying this: The Earl’s Garden black tea blend from David’s Tea. It’s a delightful combination of the traditional bergamot flavored black tea blended with strawberry and black currant notes.

I’ve tried a few Earl Grey teas that have combined either strawberry or raspberry, and I’ve enjoyed those. But I think that this may be the first that I’ve tried that has combined both strawberry and black currant. And I really like the dimension of flavor that the essence of black currant adds to this cup. It gives the tea an almost “wine-like” tone, and the tart notes of the currant meld in a really interesting way with the tangy taste of the bergamot. And the sweet-tart notes of the strawberry really brighten the overall cup. It’s a really interesting amalgamation of tastes.

The black tea base is a bit on the mellow side … this is not a tea that I’d reach for in the morning as my first cup of tea. Rather, this is something that would make a nice afternoon pick-me-up … something that is uplifting in its own way but not overly stimulating. But the black tea is definitely there … it doesn’t just roll over and allow the bergamot, strawberry and black currant to get all the attention. It is strong enough to offer a pleasing, earthy background to the cup without being overly aggressive. It is a fairly smooth black tea with a fair amount of astringency, but no bitterness.

The bergamot is not overly aggressive here either. It is tangy and citrus-y, and it hasn’t been overdone. It doesn’t taste soapy the way some bergamot flavored teas can taste. It’s on the milder side, but, again, not so mild that it goes unnoticed. This is definitely an Earl Grey tea!

I really enjoyed this blend … it’s a nice variation of the classic favorite. Definitely something I’d be happy to enjoy now and again.

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Earl Grey