Earl Grey Lavender

It’s been SO LONG since I have tried this one and because I of Alphakitty I’m having this nice cuppa today! Thanks so much!

Classic case of you don’t know what you have until it’s gone…therefore…I’m upping the rating :)

Yummy!

Some of you may remember my seemingly constant hunt to find the perfect, Picard-worthy Earl Grey for the husband. While I don’t necessarily see Picard as a lavender guy, I figured what the heck, I’d try this one, too. (After all, I didn’t have to get much since it was offered in my grocery store’s bulk section.)

It is without hesitation that I state that this tea is not even remotely Picard-worthy. The only thing it has going for it a nice and silky mouthfeel. Sadly, that silkiness combined with the slight bitterness of the tea and the floral smell of the lavender makes me think I’m having my mouth washed out with soap. The bergamot in it isn’t bad though, but I can really only pick it up when I hold the tea in my mouth. And honestly, I only do that so I can enjoy the fleeting moments of silkiness and flavor before I swallow and the bitterness begins to encroach.

If you’d like to experience this tea without actually purchasing it, just grab some floral soap (lavender, I’m sure, would be idea but the floral aspects aren’t pronounced enough that I think it would make a difference), lather up your hands and then wipe them across and around your lips. Now lick. Ta-da! You have now had this tea.

The more I sip the lower the rating drops so I’m just going to pour it out now.

Here’s hoping tea box

Thankfully the lavender is not overwhelming. It is a nice addition to the bergamot, a slight sweetener. Three base is fairly light, not not weak. I added some milk and that made it even better.

Tea #11 from Traveling Tea Box C

I went a completely different direction with this cup, because I thought I might be disappointed with another dessert tea after the Maple & Pecan Oolong.

I was admittedly nervous to dry this, though. The smell is very very strongly bergamont and lavender (The kind of strong where I could smell it brewing from across the room, with a fan blowing the opposite way strong), which I feared would make for a too-floral, kind of soapy brew.

My fear was only kind of warranted. It is definitely a potent Earl Grey. The lavender is softer and not soapy, and it balances with bergamont.

But holy man this is a strong Earl Grey. And it’s definitely a bit overpowering for my don’t-drink-much-EG tastebuds.

I ended up adding milk and an eensy bit of sugar to take things down a couple tics, and it held up astoundingly well to that. The result was a really bright, identifiably lavender-floral cup of Earl Grey that I could drink all day with the add-ins.

I wasn’t sure if I’d like the combination of lavender and bergamot, but the two flavors go together really well! The lavender softens the citrus note of the Earl Grey, but the tea remains bold and intense. Really nice.

(Feeling lazy today so short review, sorry.)

Thank you, Short Sorceress, for introducing me to my new favorite Earl Grey Lavender! You were right – the 3min steep was just about right.

Overall, I’m really impressed with this tea. It was absolutely wonderful, with a fantastic balance between the Earl Grey flavor profile and the lavender – no perfume taste here! I’ve come across a couple EGLs during the Battle of the Earl Greys, and it’s much better than the Adagio, where the lavender overwhelms the cup. This is something I will totally come back to!

You can read my full review here:
http://wordsabouttea.blogspot.com/2013/06/earl-grey-lavender-by-rishi-tea.html

Loose
Appearance: med crinkle leaf, sparse blue grey lavender buds
Aroma when Dry: faint but distinct citrus, dusty
After water is first poured: bright citrus floral, Bergamot is very noticeable.
At end of steep: dusty, sour, floral
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: yellow– green
Staple? No
Time of day preferred: unsure, first tasting.
Taste:
first notes: lavender then the citrus kicks in
As it cools? Notes blend, lavender all but disappears into the earl grey dusty, citrus
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, the lavender fades a bit, but Bergamot sticks in the mouth

AMAZING! I love Earl Grey and this is my new favorite! As soon as I opened the tin, I knew it was a quality tea. The leaves are huge and it was full of lavender buds.

The tea is very strong and smooth, and the lavender goes very well with the bergamont of Earl Grey. This will definitely be replacing Adagio’s Earl Grey Bravo as my go-to morning tea. And the fact that I can pick it up at my local Whole Foods instead of having to order online is the icing on the cake.

I usualy drink this when I’m working on a paper and pulling marathon sessions. It is a bit of an odd tea for me to get into wrting mode with since most of my paper topics tend to be less lavender earl grey-y, and more puerh-y, if they were tea (like the Viking torture paper). Anyway enough babble, the lavender can sometimes be a bit overpowering the first time ‘round so I typically brew this twice, doubling the time. The bergamont to me is mostly only noticable at the start of the sip with the lavender gradually taking over. This tea isn’t perfect, but since I just noticed my tin is less than half full puts it as one of my most drank.

YES. I love me some earl grey, and I definitely love me some lavender. So I was certain I’d fall head-over-heels in love with this tea the minute I read the label. It’s nice and strong without being bitter. It smells absolutely heavenly.