Earl Grey

This morning, I continued on my clearing out of the tea cupboard. My mom brought this Earl Grey back from Charlotte, NC, where she was visiting my uncle, for me. I remember it being a strong black with no Earl Grey flavors when I first had it. I brewed it for a shorter time this morning and it was much the same. The second brewing produced a cup of good strength.

Second brewing: 6 min 30 sec.

FYI…This tasting note refers to the loose leaf version of this tea.

This selection has been sitting unopened in my tea cabinet for several months. I can’t believe I forgot it was there! No problemo (that’s Spanish). Let’s take it for a spin now!

When I opened the lid on the squat metal tin, the strong bergamot odor that burst forth was like bergamot pipe tobacco. That impression was probably related to the floral notes touted on the container. The India tea leaves were short and dark brown.

As is customary for me, I used the container’s instructions for brewing. That translated to three minutes at 212 degrees.

The brewed color was a golden molasses. The aroma reminded me of the freshly heated and molded plastic of a toy I once had.

The flavor of the first sip seemed rather odd to me. I had to roll it around my mouth for a while to grasp what I was tasting. I could definitely sense the bergamot but there was a strong additional aspect. At first I thought it was a bourbon flavor. Then, its true character materialized through the haze. Flowers! The taste was flowers!

I’m not crazy about floral flavors in teas but don’t mind them when they keep their place in the background. In this case, I found that the floral features completely overpowered the bergamot. This is not what I prefer in an Earl Grey tea. Call it something else and maybe I will lighten up. Also, the strong flowery scent completely hijacked my nostrils every time I raised the cup to my lips. No astringency was present but I didn’t find the flowery aftertaste pleasing.

My overall opinion of this tea is that it is smooth and robust enough to be likable, but not when it is disguised as an Earl Grey tea. In general, it is way too flowery for my personal preference, but don’t let that stop you from trying it out.