Saturday 18 January 2014

Earl Grey: Variations On A Wonderful Theme

When I was talking to a friend about setting up this blog, I asked her what tea I should talk about first. She suggested Earl Grey as it is her favourite blend. As I stood in my kitchen, surrounded by several wonderful blends of tea, I thought Earl Grey was a pretty good start.

My first memories of Earl Grey were not so good, if I'm totally honest. I had visited my Dad's elderly aunts who lived near Southend in Essex. We were served up Earl Grey(which my Dad, a tea addict, hated), and it was not pleasant. It was over brewed, and tasted of lemon Fairy Liquid.

So when I made a order with Twinings a couple of years ago, I was surprised to see a sample of The Earl Grey included in my parcel. I gingerly decided to taste it. I followed the brewing instructions and took a sip. And within a couple of sips realised that this tea was really something special. I brought a box, and it quickly became a favourite of mine.

Upon browsing Twining's online shop I quickly saw that there is more then one sort of Earl Grey. Three of them are reviewed here. A fourth, Delicate Earl Grey, is something I've wanted to try but it's currently out of stock, so I hope to review it at a later date.

As well as the blends mentioned here, there are is the floral Earl Grey range, which I will review one by one. They are special and warrant their own page!

In addition you can also buy decaffeinated blend, which I have not tried, but will do when I come across a box.

The Earl Grey


Before I started drinking Earl Grey I was aware that many regular drinkers of the Twining's blend were unhappy when it changed from Earl Grey to The Earl Grey. I can't comment on the original blend as I never tasted it.

The Earl Grey is a black tea that is flavoured with lemon and bergamont. It is full bodied, but not overpoweringly strong. You can drink it black or with a splash of milk. As my skin doesn't seem to like diary products, I drink it black with a sweetener added, as with many black teas, it can go slightly bitter if over brewed.

When making the tea, I brew it for three to four minutes, sometimes a little longer if I'm doing jobs such as loading the washing machine, or checking on dinner. If you brew it for under three minutes, it's a little weak, but still pleasant to drink.
(If adding milk do make sure it's only a splash as milk can easily dilute the lovely lemon flavour).

Once brewed, the tea takes on a wonderful golden, coppery colour. Despite it being a black tea, it certainly doesn't have a black colour to it at all.


The Earl Grey is a fantastic Earl Grey (and believe me, on my travels I've tasted some awful Earl Grey's). It doesn't have that artificial lemon taste that many brands have. And, if you store them in a caddie, as I do, then when you open the lid the smell of lemon is really lovely.

The Earl Grey is available everywhere in boxes of 50, 100 and 200. At Christmas you can buy festive caddies like the one above (also available in English Breakfast). As I write this in January the caddies are still available in supermarkets.

Classic Earl Grey


Classic Earl Grey is a blend that Twining's sell abroad, so it's not readily available in UK supermarkets, however you can purchase it via the Twining's shop under their International Range.

From what I've read on the internet this blend is more like Twining's original blend that was sold before it changed to The Earl Grey.

This blend is lighter then The Earl Grey and though it can be brewed for up to four minutes, it is lighter in colour then The Earl Grey has a light, golden straw colour.

But there is a vital difference in the taste between Classic and The Earl Grey. Classic Earl Grey has a more potent lemon scent and flavour. To me, anyway, it has a sweeter taste and is very refreshing, although it can, if brewed for too long taste a little chemically.

I find this to be a pleasant blend, and it's something that I drink more often in summer as it's extremely light and pleasant to drink with salads and lighter meals.

Classic Earl Grey is available in boxes of 20 direct from Twining's Online. You will find it under their International Range.

Earl Grey Silky Pyramids


Last year Twining's released a new collection of teas in what is called Silky Pyramids. They are triangular teabags made from what resembles a silky mesh. Along with Earl Grey, you have fruit tea's such as Gingersnap Peach, green tea in the form of Jasmine Pearl, and a very exotic blend called Liquorice Allsorts Earl Grey, which really do taste like liquorice allsorts!

Out of the free Earl Grey blends this is the one I like the least, if I'm totally honest. It doesn't have much of a lemon taste to it, in fact it's rather grassy, and reminds me of herbal tea, which I am not a fan of.

The silky pyramid range has larger leaved, loose tea instead of the smaller granuals that you find in normal teabags.

It brews to a copper colour, but when pouring water on the bags, there is no lemon scent at all and rather strangely reminds me more of the smell of camomile tea.

Silky Pyramids are available from Twinin'gs Online Shop in single envelopes.

I just didn't get that satisfying feeling with silky pyramids that I get with The Earl or with Classic Earl Grey. However, this brew would be more suited to people who do not like the overpowering scent of lemon and bergamont.

2 comments:

  1. Love this blog and Classic Earl Grey is always my number one!

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  2. Thank you very much!

    I have to say, I was amazed at how different the Earl Grey's tasted. You must try the Delicate Earl Grey, which is totally different again to the rest!

    Enjoy your tea drinking!

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