Chocolate Earl Grey (Formerly Bergamot Kisses)

Trying to get back into writing tasting notes because otherwise it’s impossible to remember what I already tried and how I felt about it.

I like the idea of this tea, but I’m finding this cup rather odd. The chocolate is hiding while the bergamot/stevia combo is more forward and leaves an aftertaste I’m not enjoying. I believe I have another sampler hiding somewhere, so I’ll be giving it another go, but it’s a no for now.

So…I know this one didn’t get a lot of love here, but…I love it. I bought one pouch whenever it went on sale, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I wasn’t hopeful, yet, but I was curious. The aroma reminds me of Valentine’s Day. Sweet chocolate and roses.

“Okay, this is weird.”

I’d’ve noted these aromas even with my eyes closed. The flavor wasn’t what I wasn’t expecting.

Anyway, I was sipping this at work last night in my massive thermos, celebrating the last day at the office/back to remote work starting today! 6+ weeks of 2 week training in an office space of endless emptiness is finally over! Back to the tea…I was sipping this and I had to pause to enjoy the cup. I never ever ever ever take time out of work (while at the office) to take a break or pause over anything. I’m a robot sipping tea robotically…lol

I paused sipping this because I was very much responsive to sweet floral chocolatey notes of the tea. It’s a bursting flavor of roses and chocolate. I love the dessert vibe, without being too overly sweet, or too chocolatey, or too floral. It balances well together and it reminds me Fruit Loops, but not entirely at the same time. Obviously it’s still complex for me to explain, but the thing is…I love it. The flavors always take me by surprise in the most pleasant way. This cuppa last night made me reconsider my options while working, too.

“Take a break. Tea can provide an opportunity for pause.”

I don’t know what possessed me to buy this tea; obviously I was in an experimental mood when I bought it a few months ago. I tried it before and didn’t like it. I still don’t.

I did not see in the small print on the website that this tea contains Stevia. Stevia gives food a sharp metallic taste for me and makes my tongue burn. I also note (like other reviewers) that this tea is very sweet. Sweet in a chemical way.

I tried to drink the whole cup as I had put oat milk and collagen powder in it (a neutral), but I couldn’t stand it. The package goes into the garbage.

Don’t buy.

January Monthly Sipdown Challenge
Earl Grey prompt
Love this one and decided to drink a cup of it for the earl grey prompt. The milky chocolate with the bergamot makes for an interesting dessert blend.

C is for.. Chocolate Earl Grey

I did this one up as an oat milk latte today. It helped mitigate the stevia flavor so that the main taste was chocolate but it was still extremely sweet. And that all kind of drowned out any tea or earl grey flavors. It also left an after taste that made me think of the flavor left in your mouth after drinking sugary coffee drinks. I think if I make this as a latte again, I might try half this and half some other earl grey to try to bring out both flavors!

This tea wasn’t great. I had considered buying 2 oz but am glad I got it as part of a sampler instead! On my first cup, it tasted generically desserty with some milk. I guess I tasted a little bergamot and a little chocolate, but really it was all pretty mild. When I tried it a second time, it sort of tasted peppery and weird. Someone else tried it and said it tasted vaguely perfumey. I’m glad it’s gone!

A friend just brought a sample of this over for me to try! She warned me that it had stevia, but that it didn’t taste like stevia. So far I’m finding that to be true! It smells very chocolate caramel like when steeped. When sipping I taste bergamot, but it is rounded and doesn’t have that bite some berg has. I’m attributing it to the caramel notes. The finish is almost more mandarin and the chocolate comes in too. So far I’m liking it. The flavors are very floral and aromatic. As the cup cools slightly I notice a sour tinge which could be stevia or could be citrus… hard to say for sure, but overall I enjoyed this cup. Not sure that it is something I’d purchase, but I’d definitely have another cup.

A warm chocolate hug. Used chocolate oat milk to make it a latte and i am in heaven. Tastes like a toasty night in with just the right amount of chocolate and black tea. Tastes good hot or cold, however if drinking cold best as a latte

I’ve been interested in trying this tea since it initially came out, but always hesitated because of the stevia. I brewed it up this morning while getting ready for work and was met with a strong burst of bergamot and some caramel notes. The first few sips were very enjoyable and I couldn’t taste any stevia. It cooled slightly and I could no longer taste any bergamot, only caramel, chocolate, and the dreaded stevia. I was shocked by how drastically the flavor changed in such a short amount of time.

As with the last two teas I reviewed, I never know what to really expect from David’s Tea. This has definitely turned out to be a dessert/special occasion tea that won’t be used every day.

The bergamot flavour is intense, possibly the most potent of any Earl Grey I’ve tried. I literally cannot taste the black tea though as the blend is so loaded with bold ingredients! The most dominant flavours, aside from the citrus notes, are chocolate, caramel, and milk — very sweet and creamy. Mouth feel is thick, silky, and smooth, with an almost peppermint-like cooling sensation accompanying a spicy bergamot aftertaste. I think this is the perfect tea for people who tend to add milk and sugar to their tea, as it has both of those added already.

Surprisingly, I would order this again, but if anything I’d wait until winter. It’s probably the best hybrid between a hot chocolate and tea that I’ve drunk, can picture sipping it next to the fireplace on a cold evening.