Earl Grey Challenge- Day 3

Today's tea comes from The Rare Tea Company, who kindly sent me a sample of their gorgeous British-grown Earl Grey tea. The leaves are grown on an estate in Cornwall and provide an interesting contrast to the mass produced leaves in many varieties of tea. Knowing this, it is understandable that you will pay a bit more for this tea. However, I highly recommend it.

The colour is a gorgeous amber, which is somewhat lighter than that of the last two teas. The smell is a subtle bergamot that is lighter than some other 'brash' EG teas. I instantly liked this. I don't like my tea to be overwhelming.

Then we get to the taste. Normally, I would expect an Earl Grey to have a strong, overwhelming flavour. This one has a sophisticated flavour, smooth and unpretentious. It's the kind of Earl Grey that I expect Charles Grey would have drunk in the 1830s. Overall, the tea and bergamot oils are balanced so finely that the taste is light, sweet and  luscious. I would probably drink this in the afternoon with a nice bit of cake and a chat with some friends. I would only save it for the friends I really, really like though; it's much too special to hand out to anybody!

Earl Grey Challenge- Day 2

So, after yesterday's disaster, I'm back for another go (it's like Rocky, just with tea leaves instead of, er, boxing) Today's tea is from a fabulous Etsy seller Teaman. Tim is a really nice bloke and I've bought many a tea from him. It's good to support indie tea blenders.

Anyway, back to the tea. It's a black tea with a sharp, citrus smell. The smell is somewhat sweet, without smelling chemical-y, which some bergamot extracts can do; i.e. more Glade Touch and Fresh than smell of the Orient.

The taste is strong and robust, with a smoky aftertaste. The taste on first sip is highly perfumed, but not overpowering, with lovely clear notes of bergamot. It may take a bit of getting used to if you are used to other types of EG, especially weaker tasting ones. It is worth the experiment though, I promise. This is a particulary excellent tea for mornings, as it's a bright, sunny flavour that should wake you up a little bit, even after a heavy night. The tea goes down smoothly, without any of the 'stickyness' of flavour that is sometimes accompanies EG.

Overall, this is a good Earl Grey for the seasoned EG drinking, especially because the tea and bergamot balance each other out delightfully.

PS- apologies for lack of photos, camera not working. Today's mug was spotty!

Yorkshire Tea- Decaffinated

I normally don't 'get' decaff (especially coffee- surely nobody drinks it for taste alone?? What do I know, I'm allergic to the stuff.) but have been having issues sleeping recently, particularly on a Sunday night. So I decided to try the Yorkshire Tea decaff.

I grew up in Yorkshire, so I have a soft spot for anything from the county of the White Rose. Saying that, I can't remember ever drinking YT, although I must have at some point. So, in a fit of provincial pride, I decided to see what my homeland could offer.

YT has a smooth, strong taste that mellows into an almost creamy aftertaste. This is strange, but not unpleasant. The taste reminds me of the type of tea served up in fish and chip restaurants at the seaside. When I was a kid, tea with fish and chips was almost compulsory for the grown ups.

I've found that decaff has made a good bedtime drink, but I'm still not sure I would buy it; I may stick to herbal teas for bedtime. But for a traditional cuppa, and for those simultaneously fond of 'builders' tea' and sleep, you can't beat a bit of Yorkshire Tea. 'Ee by gum, etc etc.

Clipper Organic Everyday Tea

I'll admit, I often get made fun of by friends, family and co-workers for my love of 'strange', 'posh' and 'weird' teas- and I do enjoy a good perfumed or exotic blend. But I'm also the first to admit that a good old fashioned everyday tea is essential too. Today was one of those days that started wrong (by ignoring my alarm and getting up ten minutes before I was due to leave for work- fun), was wrong in the middle and a bit at the end. So my idea of heaven was getting home, eating Turkish Delight, sticking Doctor Who on the TV and a nice, unpretentious cuppa.

I got ten bags of Clipper Organic Everyday Tea to sample after signing up for their newsletter- I probably wouldn't have specifically chosen organic if I was in a shop, although I have bought regular Clipper teas before and always been happy with them.

The tea brewed to a nice amber colour after about three minutes and a bit of milk. The taste is smooth and pleasant without any of the nasty tannin-esque after taste that 'normal' tea can sometimes suffer from, even if it hasn't been overbrewed. The flavour is not sweet and is quite subtle- handy for not suffocating anything else you might be eating, but enhancing the flavour.

I'm not sure whether the 'organic' label has any affect on taste, but I can say that this tea is a fantastic companion when paired with Doctor Who and Turkish Delight...

Earl Grey recommendations...

So, I just got back from visiting my family in Yorkshire and, I must confess, that I didn't do much tea tasting. I did however decide that I want to do a super-duper Earl Grey tasting comparison. So, can you tell me your favourite Earl Grey tea and where I can get it? I hope to do the tasting in the next few days...