Earl Grey Cream

I got my Zen tea order this morning and told myself I wasn’t going to open any teas until I sipped something down… even a sample bag. Well, that didn’t work very well. I let myself open this one just to smell it.. and I was sunk.

I bought this one due to it’s glowing reviews and some positive comments about it during the discussion about their sale. I figured it would be easy to swap if it didn’t meet my expectations.

Dry leafed this smells rich and sweet. Steeped, and with my normal touch of raw sugar, I found the vanilla & creaminess everyone speaks of with this one, and quite the bergamotty flavor. I can taste the base, but the bergamot, vanilla, and cream almost take over the cup. The added sugar almost makes this decadent. The second steep is almost the same as the first, I didn’t dare try another, but might next time.

I think if I had the option, I would tone down the bergamot a touch so that the vanilla and cream could dance a little more in this blend. Still very good though.

I received this pleasant surprise in the mail yesterday from TeaTiff, who is providing me with a welcome distraction from all my green-tea tastings lately! (Gotta throw in some black teas here and there, because, let’s face it, there’s nothing quite as good as a deep, dark, rich cup of black tea to help one wake up and power through the day!)

I decided I couldn’t resist trying this sample first, because for some reason without intending to I have ended up being sort of on a little Earl Grey kick…I first tried that green EG, then the one by Williamson, and now, this fabulous cup of perfection. I am so spoiled to have enjoyed these really nice Earl Greys over the past two weeks, and this Earl Grey Cream is the icing on the cake, the piece de resistance, the…(okay, I think you get the point, haha) It’s AMAZING!

Oh gosh, the flavor: SO good! It does not have a super strong Ear Grey flavor, but that’s not to say it’s weak. It just tastes as though the bergamot has taken a respectful step to the side to give the cream more of the spotlight on center stage. (This is CREAM Earl Grey, after all) The bergamot is there, it is present, singing out it’s lively citrusy notes in harmony with the star of the show: the lovely cream! Mmmm that vanilla cream flavor is outstanding, belting out its melodiously rich, smooth song just like a famous opera singer! The cream mellows out the citrus and astringent black tea qualities, but is delightfully well-balanced with the other flavors. A nice sweet robust black tea flavor still shines through, so you don’t forget you’re drinking a black tea!

Overall this is deliciously rich and robust, yet sweet and creamy; it has no bitterness or sharp notes. It has a light citrus flavor, calm and soothing, like orange blossoms. Simply superb!

Drinking this right now, and it’s absolutely perfect. I had planned on adding cream and sugar to it, but after taking the first sip, I decided to forgo those plans, since it’s so creamy as it is. :D
My kids are watching the earlier episodes of Naruto Shippuden, which I’d watched years ago. Each time I revisit that series, though, I’m reminded how fantastic the soundtrack is… I found myself searching for a specific track after hearing it, remembering that it was one of my favourites… The only version I could find, though, had english dubbed voices going over the music. argh!
Anyway, this tea is really lovely for today… creamy and bergommoty and just plain great…. the perfect companion to anime soundtracks and knitting projects. :)

TheTeaFairy wrote that this was included in my swap package because “my favorite and the fact that it is so smooth”
Ok fair enough – I may not like Earl Grey because I haven’t had the correct EG yet.
LOL That might be true, but this isn’t it. Sorry nope still don’t like it.
Thanks TheTeaFairy for trying. :))

Tea & Cards TTB

Bloody delicious, this is…I’ve always been a fan of Earl Grey and I’m startled by how well it pairs with the cream flavouring (both hot and cold).

The bergamot is mellow and not overwhelming at all – while still being unmistakably Earl Grey – and then there’s this silky sort of vanilla-creme flavour that kinda slides around your mouth afterwards…it’s a simple sort of tea, but therein lies the beauty.

I’d drink it again, happily…and will probably order a batch when I clean out my boxes of samples lying around. :)

This morning I made fresh peanut butter to have with my toasts. It was warm and so creamy, I ate a big spoonful before spreading it!

Not all teas make the peanut butter list. (K S already know that) I usually have my regular straight Assam, Yunnan and Keemun to pair with it. Don’t like any flavoured tea with it.
You have to understand that I’m picky cause peanut butter is considered heaven food in my household.

K S mentioned in a recent post that earl grey came highly recommended on his PBJ tea list so I made a mental note of that (I personally am more of a purist, I prefer classic unaltered PB on my toasts, I ditched the J a long time ago).

So, I chose this favourite Earl of mine. I usually prefer this version cause the creamy part mellows the bergamot I sometimes find offensive in blends. The reason I like it so much is that unlike other EGC, this one doesn’t scream vanilla. I don’t mind vanilla when it’s done right, but it can be heavy and a little sickening to me. Here, it just rounds the edges of Miss Bergamot. It’s a perfect cup! And yes, it complimented wonderfully my PB toasts this morning.

So K S, thank you, earl grey officially makes THE PB list!!!

This has stood the test of time. I am setting this one up to 100. No matter the day, no matter the mood this tea is always wonderful. Smooth, citrusy, slightly sweet. Perfection in a cup.

My last tea was far too weak for my liking. This one goes the other way — good if weak, but at proper strength a little too strong on its own. I think it’s the cornflower petals. It seems a common problem I find — a kind of bitter plenty taste that doesn’t quite sit well on my palate. It did, however, have a nice creaminess as promised, even when drinking it clear.
I added some milk and honey and that did help somewhat.

In short, this is not a tea for me, but worth a try nonetheless.