Choice Organic Teas Teabag Black Tea 'Earl Grey'

Tea Information:
Tea: Earl Grey
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Teabag
Company: Choice Organic Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: This deep, citrusy blend features a beautiful pairing of bold Indian tea and essential oil of Bergamot oranges grown by small family farmers in Calabria, Italy. Pieces of orange peel and safflower petals brighten its taste.
Ingredients: Organic Black Tea*, Organic Orange Peel, Organic Oil of Bergamot, Organic Safflowers *Fair Trade Certified™

Steep Information:
Water: 212°F
Steep Time: a little over 4 minutes at Steep.It
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: strong citrus
Steeped Tea Smell: bakey, citrus, sweet
Flavor: bakey, ending with citrus
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: citrus, astringent
Liquor: barely translucent dark brown-red

An earl grey, not a particularly unique example or anything but not a bad cuppa

Rating: 3/4 leaves

Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

I received this product for free in return for writing a review. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Arbor Teas Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Earl Grey'

Tea Information:
Tea: Organic Earl Grey Black Tea
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Arbor Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: This organic, Fair Trade Certified version of the classic Earl Grey does not disappoint. It has a correct balance of flavoring which results in a piquant and refreshing true Earl Grey taste. Made fashionable by the Prime Minister of England Earl Grey (1830-1834), Earl Grey is traditionally a blend of Chinese and Indian teas flavored with the oil from the citrus bergamot fruit.

The legends of Earl Grey are numerous. One such tale tells how a British diplomat on a mission to China saved the life of a Chinese citizen, and as a gift of gratitude was given the recipe for this flavored tea. Upon his return to Britain, this diplomat presented the tea to the Prime Minister of the day, Earl Grey. Another story claims that it was the Prime Minister himself who was awarded the recipe.
Ingredients: organic black tea and natural bergamot flavor

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 12 oz boiling
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes (http://steep.it/)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: strong bergamot
Steeped Tea Smell: strong bergamot
Flavor: black tea, smooth
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: slight astringency, bergamot
Liquor: translucent dark brown

OK, not anything amazingly unique. On the stronger side of bergamot flavoring for an earl grey, in my opinion.

Nice solid morning tea.

Rating: 3/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing






I received this product for free in return for writing a review. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Arbor Teas Tea-Infused Chocolate Truffles 'Earl Grey'

Information:
Product: Tea-Infused Chocolate Truffles 'Earl Grey'
Company: Arbor Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: A milk chocolate shell filled with dark chocolate ganache infused with the citrusy tang of our Earl Grey Black Tea.
Ingredients: Earl Grey: dark chocolate*†, milk chocolate*†, cream*, earl grey black tea infusion*†.

To see the entire box click here.

Sweet citrus (bergamot) dark sweet chocolate ganache that melts in your mouth, the milk chocolate shell gets lost with the stronger flavors.

The truffle melts away in your mouth, and the bergamot of the tea shines through.




Received this product for free in return for writing a review. The review is as unbiased as possible despite the free product. I receive no other compensation.

Tea Forte Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Earl Grey'

Tea Information:
Tea: Earl Grey
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: loose tea single steeps™
Company: Tea Forte
Purchase: Here
Description: Rich organic Indian Assam black tea with natural bergamot and orange flavors. Pure, classic Earl Grey from the finest organic ingredients.
Ingredients: organic Indian Assam black tea, natural orange flavor, natural bergamot flavor, organic cornflower blossoms

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 loose tea single steeps packet
Water: Hot spigot water, 12 oz
Tool: kati loose tea system
Steep Time: a little over 6 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Very strong bergamot, citrus scent with a hint of floral
Steeped Tea Smell: Black tea, hint of bergamot and citrus
Flavor: Citrus, bergamot, followed by black tea
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: Very astringent and slightly bitter after taste
Liquor: deep dark reddish-brown

Leaves expanded impressively.

Too much bergamot, and I am coming to believe Assam teas are not my cup of tea.

>>My kati review

The kati mug is an excellent temperature on the hands when using hot spigot water, as opposed to being a bit too hot to handle when I used my electric kettle at home. Again, this is an excellent loose tea brewer for work, or beginners.

I think this little pre-measured packet is a great first step for converting bagged tea drinkers to loose.

Post-Steep Additives: +2 sugar a bit better, sweeter. It could have used milk as well.

Rating: 2/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

Flavia Fresh Pack Black Tea 'Earl Grey'

Tea: Earl Grey
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Fresh Pack
Company: Flavia
Amount: 1 pack
Additives: white sugar, powdered non-dairy creamer
Water: hot water spigot
Steep Time: none, flavia machine
Served: Hot
Purchase: Here
Description: A classic tea with an aroma derived from Bergamot oil. Too good not to share.
Ingredients: can not find

Notes: My personal preference with black teas is to add a bit of sweetener and creme to smooth the flavor out. I find this a very drinkable tea for work, mainly because it is easy and free.

Smell: citrus
Flavor: smooth black tea
Body: medium
Aftertaste: slightly bitter (adding sugar / creme lessens or removes this depending on the amount)
Liquor: dark brown

Rating: 2/3

Tazo Teabag Black Tea 'Earl Grey'

Tea: Earl Grey
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Full Leaf Filter Bag Tea Bag
Company: Tazo
Amount: 2 teabags
Additives: none / none / 2 packets of white sugar / 4 packets of white sugar
Water: 20 ounces / 16 ounces second steep both with hot spigot water
Steep Time: over 5 minutes (walking back from Starbucks), then 2 minutes on the second steep
Served: Hot
Purchase: Starbucks online or at a store
Description: "A more aromatic version of the Earl's celebrated black tea, scented with citrusy essence of bergamont from Italy. Blend of black tea from the regions of Ceylon and Assam scented with Italian Bergamot oil."

Notes: I had limited ability to pull the bags while walking back from Starbucks to work, so the first infusion was too strong and bitter. The second infusion ended up a little weak. Watch the brew time on this carefully it seems to turn bitter very fast. The first over-brewed cup was not salvageable even after trying to add milk and sugar. The second batch after 2 packets of sugar there was a hint of sweet and the flavor was smoother and less sharply bitter, 4 packets worked great, 3 probably would have done. I've always preferred my earl grey with sugar and milk. I did not try adding milk to the second infusion as it was already weak. The leaves stood up very well to the second infusion.

Smell: Black tea, citrus
Flavor: citrus, strong black tea
Body: heavy, it lingers
Aftertaste: bitter
Liquor: batch 1: dark reddish brown, batch 2: light reddish brown, opaque

Rating: 2/3