Diamond Jubilee

Thank you to JacquelineM for this lovely tea. It lived up to my expectations and is so delicious. I recently attended a quilting retreat and took along some teas to brew during the day. This was the favorite of everyone. We all loved the gentle bergamot with the grapefruit note. It’s a very aromatic tea and has a delightful smoothness. It is one of my favorites.

This Earl Grey variation is really nice and citrus-y, no lemon needed. It also has silver tips, but they seem to be for aesthetic reasons.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Dessert Sweet, fruity
After water is first poured: bergamot and grapefruit are noticeable
At end of steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: light tan
At end of steep: Same

Staple? No.
Time of day preferred: undecided, first tasting
Taste:
first notes: Light floral, followed by citrus.
As it cools? Notes blend, floral aftertaste heightens.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, the bergamot stays, the citrus blends and lingers as well.

Wow, dry the grapefruit is very upfront, along with some sort of…feminine floral scent. Very unlike other bergamot-y blends I’ve had, and quite welcome.

I knew when I began my EG-a-thon I’d have a hard time picking tops or dismissing many because it’s pretty much my go-to, favorite blend and always has been (bergamot is probably my favorite fragrance; I used to use it in all of my toiletries and whatnot). And well, it’s true. I’ve enjoyed all the variations I’ve tried, and this is no exception. I love grapefruit, so this is kind of a no brainer despite my usual unease around astringent teas. This is lovely, and would make a good springtime EG. That said, like a few stragglers around Steepster I’m one of those weirdos who isn’t nuts for the H&S tea base they seem to use for the EG and EGish blends. It’s not a dealbreaker here, because there’s other good stuff going on, but I wouldn’t opt for a standard version EG with this base. Also, Tower of London is still my favorite Harney daytime blend. But this is nice, especially the fragrance.

I got light snow this morning. That always makes me want tea. So this is the blend of the evening. There is a very nice citrus scent. At first grapefruit, and then bergamot. The flavour is sweet grapefruit, with some bergamot notes.

This is a good lighter earl grey.

Second time drinking this, first time reviewing it.

This one called my name when I placed my last order. I have yet to find an earl grey better than the ones made by Harney & Sons. The Viennese, the Supreme, the Imperial, the Winter White… all great. And this one is no exception. I love the addition of the fuzzy silver tips mixed throughout.

Now, this is supposed to be a grapefruit earl grey. While I do taste citrus along with the bergamot, I don’t think I’d recognize it as grapefruit. It doesn’t have that sharp bitter/sour note to me. This comes across as clean and perfumey. Kinda like a body spray, haha. And of course, the bergamot notes take the lead. Lemony and bracing. While this is a tasty tea, I find myself kinda feeling like I’m drinking moisturizer. Or a nice bodywash. Not that that’s a bad thing?

Work – 11:00 AM

Ahhh, I love Earl Grey in the morning… ❤

This tea claims to be an Earl Grey with grapefruit, but to me it tastes more like sweet orange or mandarin. There are a few white tips mixed in with the black tea as well.

It’s definitely a good tea. The base tea is light, and the bergamot is in balance. The added citrus is both sweet and refreshing.

However, personally I feel like they added too much of the citrus flavoring. It’s a bit heavy-handed and the tea sort of comes off as artificial and perfumey because of that. For me, that keeps it from being a truly great tea.

Luckily, I am quite happy with my stash of Kusmi citrusy Earl Greys, so I am not too disappointed! ;)

You know, I pretend to be a sophisticated woman, who in theory eschews things like themes, but its all a lie. I love a theme. I make little in jokes to only myself, to line up things that seem thematically correct to me.
So, hence this Diamond Jubilee tea for the day of the royal wedding. Sure, it doesn’t perfectly “match” the day, but when I needed a cup my brain helpfully reminded me that this tea is at least a few degrees away from the royal wedding, and boom, cuppa tea.
However I will wear a sophisticated hat while drinking it.

A light bodied tea with a mostly bergamot flavor- the grapefruit adds a wisp of something. It is light and crisp and citrusy, but not too much. Takes a touch of milk well. Very good. Even better when it cools off a bit- the citrus shines through. Quickly becoming a favorite.

What a nice surprise it was after a streak of quite forgettable Harney’s teas. This tea certainly has a very distinct fragrance and flavor profile. The aroma is very perfume-like but not in a bad, sickly- sweet way and over-the top way. There is some freshness and boldness in the smell.

The taste is also distinct. It is charmingly restrained (the bergamot is certainly not as bold as in the Harney’s Earl Grey Supreme) and the slight sourness of the grapefruit blends well with all of that bergamoty goodness. Also, the tea base is lighter than in other H&T flavored teas.

The end result is some understated sophistication without any pretentiousness, which actually befits its name. I am surprised that Diamond Jubilee is not as popular as, say Paris or Vanilla Comoro. Good job Harney and Sons.