When it comes to lattes, there are two different types of tea that tend to work best: Chai and Earl Greys (London Fogs, anyone?!). I have found that any variation of these kinds of tea tend to take to the latte method beautifully, whether that be plain or flavored versions or even just heavily spiced teas inspired by Chai. I usually reach for the spiced teas/chai blends but today I went for something different: Lavender Cream by Tea Sparrow.
Lavender Cream is an Earl Grey black tea made with lavender petals, vanilla pieces, lavender extract, and vanilla extract. The ingredients leave me torn since I love vanilla in teas and I really don’t love lavender and it is that lavender that has had me putting off trying this tea for months.
The tea smells delightful, both dry and after steeping thanks to the bergamot. Unfortunately that lovely scent does not translate to the taste of the tea which I am not loving. It is creamy but then a soapy taste takes over. I blame the lavender for that one. There is also an underlying astringency that Earl Grey teas often have, though here it is tampered by the milk.
Many people love this type of tea and for those people, this may be a nice blend to try. However, for me, the lavender was a deal breaker. It is always nice to try something new but I am happy with the one latte.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Sparrow
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Maple Vanilla Earl Grey from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
Today I got to thinking about fun ways to make teas. Lately I have been experimenting. Cold brewing in chocolate milk. Topping iced teas with lemonade. I have been having fun playing with my teas. So when I had a Vanilla Frosty in my freezer from Wendy’s that seemed daunting to eat on its own, I thought to myself, “what can I do with this?” Well, an affogato came to mind.
For those of you that don’t know what I am talking about, an affogato is an Italian dessert that typically takes the form of a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream topped with a shot of hot espresso. Mine, on the other hand, took the form of two scoops of Vanilla Frosty topped with tea. Maple Vanilla Earl Grey tea by A Quarter to Tea to be specific. Why that tea? Well all recipes I looked at online suggested using strong flavored teas like chais or earl greys. I went with what I had readily available and the Maple Vanilla Earl Grey Affogato was born.
Since I have never had an affogato made by someone who knows what they’re doing I am not sure if this is right but I am sure it is good. It’s more a drink than a dessert you could eat with a spoon but there is a little ball of frosty still present. The liquid is so rich and creamy. Obviously it has a ton of silky vanilla flavor given both the frosty and the tea have vanilla flavoring. More than just the vanilla, there is a distinct maple sweetness that is a little more earthy than the vanilla but still very sweet as well as a little bit of a honeyed quality coming from the rooibos. The bergamot, for those that don’t like it very much, is actually really lovely here because it just adds a bit of brightness to counteract the other sweeter elements while the black tea base and cinnamon work to do the same thing in their own ways by adding some spice and some softer tea flavors. It’s really quite delightful because you get both the flavor of the frosty and the tea distinctly but at the same time they work together so nicely making for a delectably creamy and flavorful treat.
All in all, I would say this was one successful experiment if for no other reason than the affogato was gone in under five minutes. Seriously, i just kept drinking and actually finished the affogato before I finished the review. Oops.
Ultimately I am not sure how successful this tea would be on its own as I used the whole sample I had for the affogato but used the way it was here, this tea was certainly a home run.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
A brisk cup of Earl Grey, mellowed with the sweetness of maple and the smoothness of vanilla with still giving you that satisfying bergamot punch that makes Earl Grey so special
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lady Grey from IndiasTea. . . .
It’s hard to pin down exactly what makes a tea a Lady Grey blend. I believe Twinings tea company first coined the term, making a citrusy earl grey tea without powerful bergamot oil. Either way, Lady Grey blends tend to be earl-grey-inspired teas blended to be a bit more gentle or ladylike. Lady Grey from India Teas certainly fits into that category.
While this blend has bergamot oil in it, it is at much lower levels than your average earl grey. Instead of the intense bergamot, this tea is accented with lemon peel and orange peel, making for milder and gentler citrus tones.
The leaves and the brewed tea had a fragrance of lemon-vanilla, reminding me of lemon poppyseed muffins. The tea is bright and pleasant, but not overly sweet, still preserving some of the citrus pop of traditional earl grey.
Brewed, the leaves appear much greener than when they are dry. I’m not sure exactly what type of tea leaves are used as a base, but the flavor and color lead me to believe it is a darjeeling, or less oxidized tea. The more delicate leaves suit the airy lemon peel flavors and ladylike theme.
Lemon is the star player in this blend since there is no black tea tannin richness to overpower it. This Lady Grey is light and drinkable, a sunny lemon brew with just a little grounding to distinguish it from an herbal tea.
This is a delectable alternative to powerful earl greys, and might just be your new favorite citrus tea for cold brewing as the weather gets warmer.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: black
Where to Buy: Indias Tea
Description:
Not to go by its name, Ladygrey Tea is a modern creation so as to appeal to every age groups with its distinctly citrus fragrance.
Ladygrey Tea is a Tea blend which has been flavored with the addition of oil of bergamot to provide a relaxing and calming effect by taking you on a only-me journey.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey de la Creme from Steeped Tea. . .
Steeped Tea is a company I have known about for quite some time now but have never ordered from them or tried their teas. I have been to their site many times and each time when I click the “Shop” button and it tells me to “Shop Now with a Consultant” I am reminded of why I haven’t had their teas and why I am disappointed. It is a different type of business and though some people probably very much enjoy shopping in this fashion, it is not for me.
With that said, thanks to the wonders of tea swaps and traveling teaboxes, I was able to come across a sample of Steeped Tea without the involvement of a consultant. Particularly this Earl Grey de la Creme tea. Normally I don’t enjoy bergamot in teas but every now and again I find an Earl Grey Cream tea that makes for a good latte. This one just sounded good because I am always intrigued by the word “Creme”. That and the fact that this was an opportunity to try a tea company I have been curious about made me overlook the “earl grey” component of the tea.
I brewed this for 3 minutes in 200 degree water. I used 4 teaspoons of tea in about 8 ounces of water and then topped off my mug with 8 ounces of frothed milk. Boom! An Earl Grey de la Creme Latte! Just missing the splash of vanilla and I would have had myself a London Fog.
Alas this is more bergamot and less cream in practice, despite the assistance of the creamy frothed milk. It has a strong citrus oil flavor which comes off too floral and brisk for my tastes. If I drank Earl Grey tea, this may be nice but as someone who isn’t a fan of the blerg I can say that this is way too in-your-face, and would probably be even more so without the milk. Like I said though, I don’t usually enjoy earl grey teas to begin with so I am not necessarily this tea’s target audience.
Personally I would have liked a lot more “de la creme” and a lot less “earl grey”. It was a drinkable latte but not my favorite. At the end of the day though, it satisfied my curiosity about Steeped Tea so it was worth the taste.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Steeped Tea
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lord Grey from Do You Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Do You Tea
Tea Description:
A delicious, classic, full-bodied tea – perfect for breakfast or anytime.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Earl Grey teas and I don’t always see eye to eye. Sometimes these tea think they need an overwhelming amount of bergamot oil. I think a light touch of bergamot is the way to go. Or a peach tea with bergamot oil or even vanilla. Very few earl greys are staples in my cupboard.
Do You Tea has a nice selection of teas that are unique and catch your attention. Their Backyard Bliss, a mix of jasmine, orange and oolong tea is one of my favorites. From the limited experience I have with Do You Tea offerings, they are crisp and taste fresh and clean. While I was going thru my tea stash and organizing it a bit, I noticed I had this tea that I hadn’t tried yet.
Lord Grey is a mix of Assam & Darjeeling black tea with cold-pressed bergamot oil. I don’t think I’ve had an earl grey blend like this before. I brewed this up with my tea infusion bottle and 195F per the instructions on the package. Let this steep for about 3 minutes and was pleasantly pleased when I took my first sniff of the brewing tea that the bergamot oil wasn’t crazily swirling the air. I only got a subtle gentle note of bergamot.
Took my first sip and Huzzah! The same effect. This tea is perfect for those who like tea that has been lightly kissed with bergamot. The Assam and Darjeeling mix well together providing notes of a buttery texture with malty finishes. This would be a great tea served at afternoon tea with a few sweet treats!
So for all those out there that want to like an Earl Grey but find them a bit too “bergamoty” for your taste. . check out this tea. I think you’ll be glad that you did!
