Review #41 - Stash Double Bergamot Earl Grey (bagged)

I'll admit it, now that the weather has turned really nice I've been spending alot of time outside which has delayed my reviews. Funny thing though, while over a friends, they wanted to try one of the teas I had reviewed and instead of finding one I had reviewed, I found this one. Funny how that works out huh? Onto the review.


Aroma

With many of the teas I review, in order to fully enjoy the aroma it requires you to take a decent inhale. That is not the case with this tea. From the minute you rip open one of the individually wrapped tea bags you are overwhelmed with the smell of bergamot. To give you an idea just how strong an aroma this tea has, even after taking the tea bag out, the remaining wrapper was still stronger in the aroma department then half the teas I've reviewed. There is only one problem with all that aroma. You can't smell the tea.  When Stash says Double, they meant Double. This is by far the most bergamot fragrant tea I have ever tasted; period. Now that I've told you about the aroma lets cover what's inside and the packaging.

As stated above each bag is wrapped and nicely sealed. I know they are sealed because there is no hint of anything until you rip the bag open. When you do open a bag up you'll find no staples what so ever which is great to see. On the topic of ingredients, here it is, straight from the Stash site:

Ingredients: blended black teas, bergamot extract

Personally I'd like to know a bit more about their "premium blend of black teas" but I understand company secrets are exactly that. I did have to laugh at some of the writing on their box. It states "The bergamot imparts a light citrus note" which I totally disagree with. There is nothing "light" about this tea.  The bergamot imparts a lot of both flavor and aroma.


Steeping Method

Directly from the Stash site:

Steeping Instructions: 3-5 minutes at 190-209 degrees Fahrenheit

All the bases were covered so that's what I did.


The Results

Being who I am I went straight for the 4 minute steep time and to be honest I shouldn't have been

Pictures shows how dark re-steep is

surprised by the cup I got. The color was very dark and the amount of aroma coming out of the cup was overwhelming. At full temperature I got more bergamot then I have ever tasted before. I allowed the tea to cool a bit and the bergamot kept coming. The flavor had a bit more sweetness to it but to be perfectly honest, I really couldn't taste any of the black tea. In the past I have used wine to help describe how some Earl Greys can be lighter or darker yet still be Earl Grey. I don't think I'll be doing that today.

I then paused, took a step back and tried the 5 minute steep time.  If I thought the 4 minute time was heavy on the Bergamot side, this time cemented my feelings with this tea. In the past I've talked about balance and how the tea and bergamot working together can create a good cup of tea.  I don't think Stash was going for balance when they made this tea. In my totally uninformed,  completely made up opinion, Stash decided it was sick and tired of people complaining how their Earl Grey didn't contain enough bergamot. I can see the board room now as one of their top tea blenders stands to address the others. The blender states how they have every intention of adding X amount of bergamot to their next Earl Grey blend which is met with gasps of "You can't do that!" Seriously, at the 5minute mark the color was even darker, there was -more- aroma and there was even ---more-- bergamot flavor. I've used the word before so I'll use it again, it was overwhelming.

I then decided it was time to try the 3minute steep time in hopes of taming this Double bergamot infused Earl Grey beast. Thankfully this time provided a bit more balance but you had to work for it. The aroma was still as strong as when you first open the wrapper but in this case you could actually pick up on the black tea. It wasn't much but it was there. When I let the tea cool a bit, the sweetness actually allowed some of the black tea flavor to come through.

This is going to sound strange coming from me but for this tea, I enjoyed the 3 minute time the most given it had a better balance.

Re-Steeping

Even though this tea over powered me, the fact that it comes in bags needs to be kept in mind. While testing the re-steep I was expecting tons of flavor in the re-steeps but failed to obtain what I thought might happen. I obviously was wrong and needed the logic and facts to take over. If you like the 4 -5 minute steep times, forget re-steeping. But if you are like me and enjoyed the 3 minute time, you are in luck. The second steep isn't bad if you go 3 minutes on the first and 4 minutes with the second.

Final Thoughts

So what am I going to use to help describe this tea? Hot Sauce. Some sauces bring the heat but don't do it at the expense of flavor. Then there are the sauces that are just so hot that unless you are an avid chile head, all you'll get is the overwhelming heat. That's how I felt while drinking this tea. If you love bergamot, then this is your tea. Put your timer to 5 minutes and be ready to get all the bergamot you can handle. But if you like a bit more balance, then crank down on the steep times and you should be ok. If you are the type of person who never really liked Earl Grey because you found other brands too sweet, then to use a famous catch phrase.... "This is not the tea you are looking for."

Review #40 - Brew Leaf Earl Grey Black Tea (loose)

With spring finally hitting our area I have my next review to release. In this case the fine folks at Brew Leaf contacted me and sent me some Earl Grey samples. Given the sheer volume of places selling tea I had not heard of them but that did not stop me from looking forward to trying another Earl Grey. So lets get right to it.

Aroma

The packaging for the samples were your basic food grade heat-sealed foil bags. The name of the tea was clearly listed along with Brew Leaf's company label showing the tea is Organic and Fair Trade. Missing from the label was any form of brewing instructions and when I went to their site I couldn't find the tea I was reviewing on their site. Now to be fair, websites are in a constant state of flux and they could be doing some work on their site. So I sent them a message and asked for the URL. When it arrives I will be sure to update this review.

Once you open the bag, along with it's zip lock, you are greeted with earl grey along with black tea in a limited amount. The aroma was on the clean side but it didn't overwhelm the tea. Both could be detected which showed some good balance. Then my first surprise occurred. When I grabbed my first teaspoon I did not find much in the way of leaves but more like dust. It looked like I had just opened a teabag, which needless to say really surprised me. Since their website at this moment does not provide any info, I can't give you any information regarding the ingredients other then they are fair trade and organic.

Steeping Method

Because the bag contains no info, and the page for their Earl Grey is unavailable, I will default to my typical 4 minute time and will also try both 3 and 5 minutes.

The Results

To begin I wasn't able to do all the testing on this tea I would normally do because there was only enough for 2 servings. As a result I did some searching around and many tea reviewers only ask for 2-3 servings for their reviews so maybe all my testing variations are a bit out of the ordinary. Since Brew Leaf provided this sample pack free of charge, it isn't fair for me to complain. But I wanted my readers to know why this will be a shorter then normal testing section.

At the 4 minute mark I received my next surprise. The tea had a very dark color, an improved aroma and the flavor was balanced and very good. Until I got to the bottom of my cup and the flavor turned totally bitter. On pure human instinct I looked inside the cup and that's when I saw all the dust particles. It appeared the dust I saw before somehow got past my mesh strainer and got into the cup making for a bitter surprise. If you look hard at the picture to the right you can just see some of the dust at the bottom of the cup. To finish the flavor was definitely balanced and for me personally was only a touch shy of being at the level I prefer.

Then I tried a 5 minute steep time and to be perfectly honest, I burnt the tea. Oh how I wished I had tried 3 minutes instead, but that's the way the tea steeps sometime.

Re-Steeping

Since I was only able to try two steeping times the same can be said for re-steeps. At the 4 minutes steep time there was very little flavor left. Since I went over the edge with 5 minutes the only that was left to re-steep was bitter tea. I wish I could provide more details but those are the facts; No re-steeps.

Final Thoughts

This tea provided some surprises. By the looks of it, you would have thought it wasn't going to have much flavor but at the 4 minute mark this tea was rather good. Adding to that, the ingredients are or
ganic and you can feel comfortable knowing the people producing the leaves are being paid a fair wage. If you can get by the fact this tea doesn't look like loose tea, with whole leaves and such, I would have no problem suggesting readers give it a try.

Review #39 - Camellia Sinensis Earl Grey Organic & Fair Trade

With my illness now out of the way, meaning everything is back to tasting normal, it's time to review a tea I've had before, but never properly reviewed. That's right, I've had it before but never properly put it through the review paces. Meaning, all the different steep times, how it handles being re-steeped, etc, etc. So now that you have a good idea what to expect, lets jump into the review.

Aroma 

As you can see from the picture, I didn't order a sample size but instead got a full 100gram bag. To get to the tea you simply cut the top off making sure not to cut the zip lock section. Once cut all you have to do is pull the bag apart and you'll have access to the leaves. Because of the size of the bag there is plenty of aroma to enjoy. The smell is very earthy and also has a slight "musk" to it. Normally you get a citrus aroma but this tea is different. It's a deeper smell with the tea and bergamot sharing in the aroma.

How are we getting this unique aroma? From their site:

From Dooars, in northern India, this quality black tea is scented with a natural flavouring extracted from organic Italian bergamot, a highly aromatic citrus fruit.

But what I described as "musky" they call something else:

The base tea is a full-bodied, slightly malty black tea from Dooars (Organic Fair Trade) at the base of the Indian Himalayas. 

If you read a bit more you find their source for the bergamot is well known to this site:

The bergamot we have been using is a high grade, organic Italian bergamot from the Calabria region in the Province of Reggio. 

It should also be mentioned this tea has the ECO CERT along with it's organic and fair trade assurances.
With the aroma and ingredients explained time for the steeping instructions.

Steeping Method

The bag is hand written with instructions that match what is posted on their site:

    250ML -> Temp 95C -> 3-4Min 

As always I did a bit of stress testing with this tea and added 5 minutes to the times I steeped.

The Results

At the 3min time the tea was lighter then I prefer. The color of the tea matched the flavor but did not do so at

the expense of the complexity. Even though the flavor was on the lite side there is still much to enjoy. The malty flavor comes through with a nice balanced tea to bergamot flavor.

At the 4 min mark things edged closer to where I like my Earl Grey. The flavor was stronger and bolder while not letting either the tea nor the bergamot change the balance. The color of the tea was also darker while the aroma really kicked in. The tea had a bit more cooling flavors which added to this tea and made it more flavorful then the 3min time.

Then I went for it, the full 5 mins and I was glad that I did because at 5 mins this tea really produced a deep flavor that could be enjoyed from just poured to a bit more cooled. The color darkened up a bit but the aroma stayed where it was at 4 minutes. But most importantly the balance in flavor remained. I know that doesn't make any sense. If the flavors are getting stronger then you would think something would over power something else. Instead the bergamot and the tea remained equal partners and increased with each steep time.

Re-Steeping

But there is a price to pay for not listening to Camellia's steeping instructions. If you do as I did and steep for 5 minutes, there will be nothing left and your second steep will not be very good. But if you stop at 4 minutes and then go 4 minutes again, you will get two cups. The first being slightly less then I prefer and the second about equal to the 3 minute time. So it's really up to you.

Final Thoughts

Camellia Sinensis is located in Canada and while some people equate their location more with hockey, snow and a certain progressive rock band, they have produced a wonderfully unique Earl Grey that will probably make most Earl Drinkers happy. The tea ranges from lite to full body without ruining the balance. If you prefer a lighter tea, 3minutes is for you. If you are like me, then 5 minutes is the way to go. Either way I really enjoyed this tea and think you will too.

Review #38 - Whittington's Tea Emporium Earl Grey Sampler Pack

This is going to sound incredibly strange coming from this blog but, there will be no tea reviewed in this review.  The reason is simple, I have already reviewed all the tea from the sampler pack I plan to cover. This entry will review the pack as an entity to its self. This will be the first time I ever conduct such a review so it will not follow my typical format. If you feel I left something out and/or would like to see that topic covered in the future, please leave a comment. It should be stated up front that Kyle Whittington of Whittington Tea (WTE)  provided this pack at no cost to me.

The Container

When I review tea I normally cover how the tea is packaged. In this situation, we are talking about an
~8 3/4" X 6 3/8" x 1" Metal/tin box. To give you a sense of scale I put a 9V battery right next to the box when I took the picture. Unlike some packaging there is very little space in the box when full which is good. Contained within are 4 samples, 4 sheets of paper with each tea's information and one paper for your own tasting notes. As you can see from the picture, the samples are listed along with the WTE insignia along with its title... The Earl Grey Sample pack. If you would like to see how each tea faired, I provided a link to each of the reviews.

Tea Studio - Earl Grey

Postcasd Teas - Gianfranco's Earl Grey 

Canton Tea Co. - Classic Earl Grey

Adagio Teas - Earl Grey Bravo (Note - When Kyle and I first got talking about him sending me this pack I had not tried enough Earl Grey teas with cornflower to know it was not my thing. Once I figured it out, I decided not to review it. By that time I already had the pack.)

When I first received the box my sons immediately wanted to use it to store their Lego on trips. Then other ideas kicked in about bringing decks of cards for trips as well. I thought it might also serve as a protected storage tin for my teas while on vacation. I could easily fit enough loose and bagged teas within it. My wife then said it would make a great first aid kit for the car once loaded up with the typical band-aids and such. Whether you like, agree or have other ideas about the box, I think you'll agree you can re-use it instead of filling some landfill. So on one hand, paying for this box while ordering tea may raise the price a bit, but at the same time, you are getting a rather useful container.

The Mix

For me, a sampler should be a good mix of teas. This may sound strange but you shouldn't love all the teas in a sampler pack. Because if you do, then all the teas are pretty much the same and in my opinion you just wasted your money. This pack should help you to figure out what kind of Earl Grey drinker you are. Do you prefer more tea and less bergamot? Do you prefer a bolder taste? Are you concerned with the ingredients of your tea and their source? Do you wish to re-steep your tea? All of these questions and more get answered by this pack. But the pack is not without it's faults.









The Paper Work

This issue occurred when WTE used samples within their pack that had been changed by the

originator. Obviously this is a easy issue to fix but if you are paying for this pack and then find out the tea you tried doesn't exist anymore it could leave a bad taste in someone's mouth. (excuse the pad pun)
I'm guessing this is the nature of the beast when it comes to sample packs but from a consumer perspective, you hope the originator and the packager are better connected.

As for the rest of the documentation, I think it serves it's purpose but I would have liked to see a bit more range on the steeping times. All but one of the teas has only one time listed. Given how much a tea can change I think it would be nice to see the reviewers preference but then a range to allow the person trying the tea to experiment a bit more. I'd hate to think someone trying these teas would only try the teas once and only at the times given.

The Cornflower Saga

I probably should pick a better time to touch on this but I think getting the dialog started now may lead to improvements later.

As I have said many times in my reviews, I am a traditionalist when it comes to Earl Grey. I like black tea and bergamot and nothing else and I think that name should cover only those two ingredients. But I'm starting to notice many teas with the name of just Earl Grey containing cornflower. To my right, I have a tin that I paid for, with no mention of cornflower as an ingredient. That was until I opened it up for review to find it did in fact contain the flower. (I won't mention them here but if you are interested you can DM me via twitter and/or email me to find out who it was.) So for example, Adagio's Earl Grey Bravo at least has me wondering what this blend has in it to cause the different name. Personally I would like the brilliant minded tea community to come together and create a name specifically for Earl Grey with cornflower. Maybe Grey Flower, or Earl Corn or.... you get the idea. I know Twinnings has Lady Grey but that has a fourth ingredient. So come on guys, lets put our collective minds together and fix this.

The Final Word

If you read the reviews of the teas contained within this pack, you'll know I found an Earl Grey that really impressed me. I also tried a blend that really didn't fit my preferences. So for me this pack did its job which means I have no issue with suggesting this sampler pack to someone looking to try many Earl Grey's from one source. It has good mix of tea, a nice re-usable container and some helpful documentation. You can't go wrong.
.

Review #37 - Canton Tea Co Black Tea Earl Grey (loose)

In this review I return to the Earl Grey Sampler Pack from Whittington's Tea Emporium (WTE). But this time I run into some issues with the names and such. Let me explain. The sample packet that came in the container is labeled Black Tea Earl Grey but when you head over to the Canton Tea Co site, I couldn't find it. What I did find was two other types. The first being called "Classic Earl Grey" and the second "Canton Organic Earl Grey". As stated before I'm not a fan of cornflower so that tea is off my list. But the second tea looks kinda like the one I have. But when you compare the writings on my sample pack to their description you find it's not the same tea. So here is where I stand. I will obviously review the tea but will not provide a link directly to the tea because it appears to be missing/replaced/etc from their site.

Aroma

The sample pack is labeled as a "taster pack" and requires you to tear off the top before being able to access the zip lock type opening. Once opened you will find a very mild and mellow smell. Since I only have the label to go by here is what it says:

Teas from China and India and Oil of Bergamot from Italy.

Here is where my next issue with labels and such came in. Along with the samples the container holds an info sheet for each tea written by someone at WTE. Problem is they list the tea as containing cornflower with it's "indigo-blue cornflowers petals" which it does not. Unfortunately I don't know how or where this happened. Did Canton change something after WTE got their samples or did WTE get this sample misplaced? At this point I don't know so that's the reason this tea will be reviewed with only the info I have listed on the sample pack.

Steeping Method

From the packet from their pictures:

Temp 95c, 1-2 tsp, 250ml of water steep for 2minutes 

I then added the typical 4 and 5 minutes steeping times.

The Results 

I started with the suggested 2 minute time and got a very thin and very light tea. To be honest, I don't think a 2 minute steeping time did this tea any justice. As stated it was very thin, had no depth of flavor, the color was very light and even when cooled showed nothing. To give you a sense of just how light this time was, I've reviewed bagged teas that gave more flavor then this loose tea.

So I headed off to the opposite end of the steeping spectrum and tried 5 minutes. This time provided a lot
more flavor, color and aroma once brewed but lacked in the depth area. This time showed alot more color and plenty of flavor but at a cost. As the cup cooled I picked up some extra flavor normally associated with just starting to burn tea. I think 5 minutes pushed this tea a bit past it's best. The balance was still of tea but at least the bergamot came through a bit more. Which brings us to our last steeping time.

With the first two times out of the way I was hoping to find more balance and more flavor. Sadly this tea remained on the light side while the bergamot never really gave me a nice citrus smell or flavor. It just tasted flat with no depth of flavor. The color was pretty much the same as the 5 minute mark but in this case that slightly burnt flavor was not there. But this tea definitely left me wanting a more balanced tea with more flavor.  That brings us to my last attempt where I doubled the serving from 1 tsp to 2. I was expecting alot more bergamot (i.e. fresh citrus) but the tea technically didn't change. It was just more of the same flavor just more intense. It remained flat and provided no additional cooling flavors.

Re-Steeping

Given the lack of depth of flavor I thought this tea would not re-steep well at all. Strangely, if you like a very light Earl Grey then you can re-steep. Go for 4 minutes on the 1st and 2nd steep.

Final Thoughts

After reading the above it's pretty obvious I wasn't blown away by this tea. This is a very light tea with a flavor that leads me to believe not all ingredients are natural/organic. It just doesn't have that fresh citrus aroma and flavor many other teas possess. The flavor is weighted more towards the tea then getting close to a balance between the tea and bergamot. To end, if you like a very light tea then by all means try it but if you like your tea a bit bolder AND like knowing the ingredients of your tea, I'd try another of my reviewed teas.

Review #36 - Den's Tea Earl Grey (bagged)

The source of today's tea should dispel any rumors that I only drink Earl Grey. Hey I'm an addict but I'm also no fool and enjoy many different types of tea. While ordering some wonderfully tasty Japanese Green Tea I noticed that Den's Tea also sells a bagged Earl Grey. So I added it to my shopping cart, along with the green tea I bought, and here we are. With all of that explained, onto the review.

Aroma

Den's tea comes in a typical (at least what I call) sales box. Meaning the box can  be opened via the top, or by pushing in the perforated half circle at the bottom front. Once pushed in, people can then take out individual bags for purchase. For a retailer these things must be nice. Pop the front bottom, place it on your shelves upright, and you are in business. The box also has a fair amount of needed info in a plain and easy to read format. On one side their Earl Grey story, the Best Before date, brewing for both hot and cold, the ingredients and their location. On the back some talk about the benefits of organic foods, and some words on their support of fair trade. The remaining side has their quality guarantee and some company history.

The bags themselves are just sealed clear plastic bags/wraps and given how I couldn't detect any aroma they work well at keeping things fresh. Upon ripping one open you will pick up a bit of citrus but overall the aroma is very lite. The ingredients providing this aroma are (from their site):

Our Earl Grey tea is a blend of organic Indian black tea from select gardens and the natural essence of Italian bergamot, a fragrant citrus fruit.

Once you get the bag out you'll notice the lack of any staples on either bag or the label. Needless to say this goes hand in hand nicely with the use of organic ingredients and should be the standard for all companies. With that said, lets move on to the steeping.

Steeping Method

Directly from the box:

"Use one tea bag & 8oz of boiliny water. Steep for 4-5 minutes & enjoy." 

That meant I tried the suggested 4, 5 and of course went for 6 minutes to stress test the tea.

The Results

Normally 4 minutes is my sweet spot but in this case 4 minutes was a bit too lite for my personal preference. The color was on par with teas typically steeped 4 minutes, but the flavor was definitely on the thin side. The flavor itself was mostly black tea leaving me wanting for a more balanced tea. Letting it sit for a bit brought out a bit more citrus but not enough to win the day.

In this tea's case, 5 minutes provided the best flavor that I could obtain. The color was a bit darker, the aroma increased but most of all, the flavor was alot more balanced. The black tea was there along with the bergamot instead of covering it up. When allowed to cool the citrus really came to the front and provided a nice cup of tea. But I have to admit there was little to no complexity or depth. It tasted like Earl Grey but I wasn't blown away by it. Yes it was an improvement over the 4 minute mark but it didn't reach the heights of some other teas.

At the 6 minute mark I didn't burn the tea per say but I definitely pushed it beyond where it should have been steeped. Instead of getting more bergamot flavor, I actually got less. This leads me to believe there would be no hidden gems with this tea which is fine. Pushing the teas like I do are done for that one rare occasion and the marker of the teas are not held responsible when things go horribly wrong.

Re-Steeping

There are times when during my review I find combos of 1st and 2nd steeps that work and extract the most from the teas. In this case I found nothing which leads me to the following statement, "Don't re-steep this tea; ever". Instead dump your 1st bag into your compost bin, and grab another.

Final Thoughts

Given how I like knowing what it is in my food, while at the same time knowing the people who actually grow the food are making a fair living, I like this tea. The flavor isn't the best of the Earl Grey's I've reviewed but it definitely isn't the worse. I know that is not exactly a glowing review but that's how the tea tasted. Would I suggest it to others? If you had never had Earl Grey before, or your preference is a lighter blend, then yes. If you do end up trying it, please feel free to leave a comment regarding your opinion on this tea.

      

Review #35 - Postcard Teas Gianfranco's Earl Grey (loose)

With the holiday season behind us it's time to get back to work. This week I review another tea from the Whittington's Tea Emporium (http://wtea-emporium.co.uk/) Earl Grey sampler pack. How will this sample compare to the last? Will it fall short or will it shine? Either way I get to drink Earl Grey so this year is starting out on the right foot. On to the review.  

Aroma

The sample package, as seen in the picture is quite different then most foil bags in that it's horizontally aligned. Most bags are presented in a portrait style with labeling going across the bag. In this case their label goes the length of the bag. With all this talk of label alignment out of the way I opened the bag and started the process of reviewing the aroma. I would describe it as mellow and/or light. It comes across as very natural with absolutely no perfume smell to it which is a good start. As I have said many times, the amount of aroma seldom equates to the eventual flavor. Some teas are light but have plenty of flavor and we've also seen the reverse. So what is helping to create this aroma? Given how little info is listed on their label I headed off to their site and was blow away with the amount of detail given for this Earl Grey.

     The finest bergamots in the world come from Calabria in Southern Italy where every year Gianfranco Todisco selects fruit grown naturally without chemicals and cold presses them for our Earl Grey. Then here in London we blend black tea from small tea farms – Mineral Springs and Potong in Darjeeling and Sahyadri in Kerala – to compliment his fragrant bergamot oil.

         <snip>

ORIGIN:
60% Darjeeling 2nd Flush EX20 (Mineral Spring Tea Farm (av. 1.5-2 acres), Darjeeling, India)
20% Family Tea (Sahyadri Co-operative (av. 1.5-3 acres), Peermade, Kerala, India)
20% Darjeeling 1st Flush (Potong Tea Farm (av. 1 acre), Darjeeling, India)
Blend of two Essential Oils Of Bergamot (Calabria, prod. Gianfranco Todisco, 2013)
PLANTS AND PROCESSING: Blend of Camellia Sinensis Sinensis and Camellia Sinensis Assamica

This may just be the most detailed explanation of any tea I have reviewed so far. But Postcard wasn't done with providing information. If you head to their site, and if I read the caption correctly, you can actually see a photo of Gianfranco Todisco next to a bergamot tree. Fellow tea drinkers, if all food companies were this open and honest, there would be zero need for any labeling laws. Postcard should be commended.

To be fair, I should point out that the sample bag cannot be resealed unless you tape it closed or something similar. For me it's not an issue because I typically go through all the tea from each sample pack. Because of this the lack of re-sealing wasn't an issue for me but it may be for you. Like I said, I need to be fair an point that out. Lets move on to the brewing section.

Steeping Method

Given the small size of their label there is no steeping instructions so off to their site again. Here is what I found. 

This special Earl Grey should be brewed with water just off the boil and a teaspoon of tea per cup to best enjoy it’s bright, citrus flavours. It can be taken with or without milk.

BREWING GUIDELINE: 95-100°C, 3-4g per cup, with or without milk. 2 infusions.

 As you can see no time was given so I did my typical 3, 4, and 5 minute brewing times.

The Results

If I were some beyond gifted writer I would weave a story that leads the reader on a wonderfully complex plot ending with my final thoughts on this tea. But that's not me. So instead of dragging this out, lets get right to the point. This might just be one of the best Earl Grey teas I have reviewed. Seriously, I enjoyed this tea that much. How and Why? Let me explain.

Given my tendency to steep Earl Grey at 4 minutes that's where I started and boy was I rewarded. The color

was dark and the aroma that came from the tea was ( and I don't normally use this term but here goes) earthy. It was as if I were working in my garden and getting nose fulls of fresh dirt. But at the same time I could pick out the tea. To say I was both surprised and excited would be telling a lie. With such a balanced aroma could the flavor match that balance? Getting that perfect balance is for me, the Holy Grail of Earl Grey.

Well I am happy to report this tea nails it perfectly. At the freshly poured point, where the tea is still very warm, the bergamot is earthy and deep tasting while not overpowering the black tea. For people who have tried Earl Grey's and complain of their overly sweet taste this is the tea you should be drinking. But the tea wasn't done. As it cooled the bergamot changed ever so slightly providing a touch of citrus and slightly less earth all while not over powering the black tea. Complexity and Balance. Quite simply this tea was a pleasure to drink from the freshly boiled start to the cooled yet still balanced finish. In my opinion, this is what Earl Grey should taste like.

As for the 3 and 5 minute steep times, personal preference. Still good in their own way but for me 4 minutes is pure Earl Grey Nirvana. But how would it re-steep? Did this tea have a weak spot that was about to be exposed?

Re-Steeping    

For those of you who noticed their brewing guidelines would have also noticed those wonderful words: "2 infusions".  Once again this tea comes through and again it surprised me. Yes the flavor was lighter then it's 1st steep but that's not what surprised me. What got me was just how much flavor remained for the second steep. I've reviewed teas that had their first step less balanced, less complex and less flavorful then this tea's second steep. Really goes to show you what happens when you use quality ingredients. So what time do I suggest? 4 for the first, and 4 for the second.

Final Thoughts

Other then the lack of steeping instructions on the sample pack, I really have nothing negative to say about this tea. Simply put, I thoroughly enjoyed this tea. Reviewing, we have ingredients which are all known and from small farmers. We have a balanced tea that has an immense amount of flavor without being overly sweet. The tea has all the complexity you would expect from quality black tea. And you can re-steep the tea and actually get a tea worth drinking.  My suggestion is very simple, contact Whittington's or Postcard Tea directly and try it yourself. I'm sure you will enjoy this tea as much as I did.