Earl Green

Love this tea! If you’re looking for that Bergamot flavor without the caffeine of black teas this is your tea. Or if you just want a fun tea with a nice sharp flavor, try this.

I cannot stress how much I enjoy my teas with the variable kettle that allows me to brew them at the correct temperature. This was a HUGE step in my tea-enjoying adventure. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend that you buy one. Money well spent, you will be a happy camper.

Rishi recommends brewing this tea, an Oolong, at 185 (as if it was White Tea) and not 195 as an Oolong. Paid attention, brewed just as instructed and happier I cannot be.

The bergamot (very strong in the aroma of this dried tea) is not as strong once brewed, it is a sweet, citrusy and flowery flavor dancing with the tea. A great combination, great the first and – one minute more required – great second infusion too.

My Rishi tea order arrived yesterday. Lots of herbals and caffeine free blends, but I did pick up a couple of regular loose leaf teas one of which was this bergamot scented green oolong. The leaves are beautifully fragrant and brew to an intense but smooth bergamot flavor. Notes of tangerine, cardamom, and eucalyptus. Compared to Earl Grey black tea, I feel like the neutral green tea base really allows the bergamot to shine through. Reminds me of Verdant’s now retired Earl of Anxi blend which used TGY as the base.

That said, I prefer a subtle bergamot flavor and on its own, this is way too potent for me. But that’s not a problem, I will just blend it with a straight tea the way I do all my flavored teas.

Earl Green is such a confusing name for this tea, given that it’s actually an Earl Grey on an oolong base – not green tea. I understand the logic is that it’s a greener oolong but even still I feel like it creates unnecessary confusion…

Taste wise it’s very nice though; pretty strong on the bergamot but I find I don’t mind it because it compliments the fresh green and floral notes of the chosen base oolong really well. It’s intense while still managing to be fresh and fragrant rather than perfumey and overpowering. You can tell that both of the used ingredients have a lot of integrity.

I’d happily drink this one again!

I’m finally getting to the last of this today and I’ll be sad to see it go.
I’ve never cared for Earl Greys, there was just nothing in the flavor that made me want to drink it. So I was skeptical when I first tried the Earl Green, but I noticed we were selling a lot of it and I wanted to know what the big deal was. The big deal was that it tastes great. Smooth and comforting, there can be a slight astringency but only if you steep too much. The bergamot gives this tea a slightly fuller mouth feel than you might notice in an average green tea, but it should be noted that this tea is actually an oolong.

-Preface
Wasn’t sure about this concept an “earl grey” oolong, in fact it was in my stash that i stowed away and forget about. Stumbling about the bag I saw the “expiration date” was nearing (purchased a bunch of rishi tea when i first was introduced to tea 3-4 years prior) so I figured now was a good of time as any to try it.
-Review
After just one steeping in im gaiwan I was hooked. I never actually tasted real bergamot oil before only artificial flavorings and scents or somethings other earl greys have included random citrus as a cheaper substitute(orange, lemon, etc). This stuff is the real deal you get that unmistakable zesty bergamot flavor and relaxing scent with the creamy smooth mouthfeel of the oolong. The oolong by itself is super high quality the leaves are big vibrant green and whole pieces but with the inclusion of the best bergamot essential oil you will find. I am a traditionalist(no flavors artificial or natural, no fruits inclusions, no rooibos/herbal etc) but this is one non-traditional tea I will most certainly purchase again. If

The bergamot personally reminds of that anise, black licorice flavor profile, which i am not too fond of.

I steep this longer and hotter than it says to. People always say that makes green tea bitter. For one thing, I’m kind of into bitter, but in any case it doesn’t make this bitter at all. THIS IS THE BEST TEA IN THE WORLD. It is basically a bergamot delivery vehicle, which is exactly what I wanted, because I am a bergamot junkie. The best part is that you can steep it 3 times and the flavor is good, but different each time. It needs no sweetener; the natural sweetness of the bergamot is in there. If you like bergamot and green oolongs, you will be in heaven.

At Zingerman’s, they brew this as an iced tea during the summer – it is absolutely perfect this way. It really allows the citrus from the bergamot and the grassy green flavors to be highlighted. I enjoy it hot as well, but a high temperature never seems to mesh well with the lively flavors.