Blossom Earl Grey

Now, this is nice! I had this once before in a tea assortment sent from Ireland by my daughter’s boyfriend. I had forgotten how good it was! He came in person this time, asked for our daughter’s hand in marriage, and gave me lots of tea! LOL! To further seal the deal, he asked if we could play Scrabble, so it is almost as if hubby and I picked him ourselves.

A word about my feelings on Earl Grey – some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it strong, some like a hint. I like bergamot, I like Earl Grey, I loved the Earl Green that was sent to me by K S, but not every Earl is pleasant. Some taste like bathroom cleaner to me.

This one was a winner from the time the water hit the bag. The tea base is there, not swallowed up by the flavoring, the bergamot is there and doesn’t taste like chemicals, but the orange blossom is the crown on the head of this tea. It softens all edges, adds roundness and richness, a floral smoothness. The orange taste is clean and refreshing. Very nice! I wonder how it would tasted iced and sweetened?

This was in the recent care package from ashmanra. I thought this was the British version of Earl Grey. It is not. This is bergamot and orange. The bergamot is lighter than that found in the US version of Earl Grey. The orange is lighter than that found in Orange Bliss. Together they are just right. It’s kind of like Lady Grey without the lemon. While this isn’t going to blow the socks off of you, it is another solid offering from Twinings.

Continuing my bagged tea day.
This is a sample from the wonderful Ashmanra in the awesome package she sent me just before Christmas.
I hear that there might be a discussion on if Twinings in America are different than European Twinings.
Well, I do not know if I have much to say either way on that, I simply have not had enough of either to know for sure.
But, the one thing I have noticed is the difference between the leaf in the European and the US.
When I opened the samples from Twinings US, a poof of powder would always fly out of the packet.
The European samples are certainly chopped leaf but not anywhere as fine as the US ones.
The US ones were literally a powder.
Now, on to this tea.
Odor is a bright, sugary orange bergamot.
Taste. Mmmm, I like this tea.
I love the juicy sweet orange bergamot flavor!
I am a bergamot lover and I despise when its weak in the tea.
This tea does not disappoint.

This was my absolute favourite Earl Grey for a long time. I haven’t had it in an age, though, and so I decided it was time to revist another old friend.

Fortunately, it’s just as I remember. The same perfectly balanced notes of black tea and bergamot, complemented by a delicate floral edge contributred by the orange blossom oil. Even though I still find it perfectly pleasant, I’m struck by the realisation that my tastes have changed. While this is a nice, drinkable Earl Grey, it’s not exciting or complex. It doesn’t make me think, or really appreciate what I’m drinking. That’s fine — sometimes I just want a no-fuss tea that I can quaff unashamedly. It’s just that I know there’s more out there, and in consequence I find myself a tiny bit disappointed.

Still, this is a nice, perfectly palatable, everyday Earl Grey. For that reason alone, it still scores points with me.

I wasn’t impressed when I saw “limited edition” on the bag, and reviews 7 years old. Actually, I was rather shocked, because I remember these tea bags as “new” in collections few years back. But it is, apparently already 7 years. Time flies!

I found out one thing. When my life is mess, my desk is full of mess. So, just check my desk and you will see how I am doing recently. Yep, messy.

But to the tea. Although old, the dry bag was quite aromatic, I mean I have noticed something similar to jasmine. And maybe bit of “tea” smell too.
But brewed tea is completely different story and it is nice bold tea; although not much of “tea” flavours. Not tannic, malt, or something. It is rather floral, light – enjoayble. I think they added oranges into this blend, because it is what I notice on first sip, maybe that jasmine I notice too, bergamot is there too and for sure, black tea used is some mellow one. They did not share actual one on the tea bag.
Nice surprise :)

got this one as a gift some time ago, decided now’s time to try. i figured, Twinings, Earl Grey and all, this is got to be good, right? opened the bag, it all smelled like regular Earl Grey, but when i poured boiling water to it… oooh, now that was a brilliant moment. all the nuances of the bergamot and the orange came forth in one smell, mixed in a perfect breath. i instantly knew this one’s gonna be a gooood day. :)