What is Earl Grey Tea?

Earl Grey is a fragrant, citrus-flavored tea blend made by adding bergamot oil or flavoring to black tea. Bergamot is a citrus fruit (a cousin of orange) that grows in the Mediterranean region.

Date

It takes its name from Charles Grey, who served as Prime Minister of the British Kingdom in the 1800s. The story goes that Charles Grey ordered tea from a prominent Chinese merchant. Because the black tea, arriving by sea, was highly fermented, spoiled, and bitter, the Chinese merchant added bergamot oil/flavoring to it and presented it to Charles Grey in that way. Charles Grey loved the smell and aroma of the tea, so the shrewd Chinese merchant turned this into an opportunity to sell his inferior tea by adding flavoring.

Another story claims that the ship carrying the tea was carrying bergamot oil, and that the oil accidentally scented the tea.

Earl Grey Black Tea Blend

Black tea is blended with bergamot oil/flavoring after production. The blending method and the amount of flavoring used vary from country to country and from producer to producer. It's important to remember that the amount of bergamot flavoring used can mask the taste of poor-quality tea. Therefore, choosing a good Earl Grey is not easy.

Instead of using intensely fragrant Earl Grey (which some producers call "bud"), brewing Earl Grey on its own will reduce the risk of getting a bad cup of tea.

Earl Grey Tea Varieties

Earl Grey tea originated in England in 1820 and has spread throughout the world, becoming a popular tea over time.

• Lady Grey Tea – Lady Mary Elizabeth Grey is named after Earl Charles Grey's wife. Besides bergamot, it's blended with orange peel or lavender. There are two varieties: Orange Earl Grey and Lavender Earl Grey.
• French Earl Grey Tea – It is made by blending classic Earl Grey tea with rose petals. It has a more fruity flavor.
• Russian Earl Grey Tea – A blend of classic Earl Grey with orange peel and lemongrass.

Conclusion

A good Earl Grey tea is delicious. But it's different from black tea. Unfortunately, in many cafes and restaurants in our country, when you ask for black tea, they now serve Earl Grey tea, and sadly, most business owners don't know the difference. This is an injustice to black tea. Trying to cover up bad tea and poor brewing with Earl Grey is also an injustice to Earl Grey.

👉 Click here to discover our Eary Grey tea.

With affection,
Lazika