I must admit that I had very high hopes when I tried this Earl Grey from Narien Teas.  Earl Grey tea is one of the most popular tea blends out there; almost every tea merchant carries an Earl Grey blend.  Yet, despite this, I find it very difficult for me to find an Earl Grey that pleases my picky palate.

I want the tea itself to be of good quality, one that can carry the flavors of the bergamot without the tea nor the bergamot essence to be compromised due to the presence of the other.  All too often, either the tea will be too brisk and the bergamot is lost, or the bergamot is too strong and overpowers the tea, leaving the cup to taste a bit like warm perfume (or at least, what I think a cup of warm perfume would taste like).

Fortunately, this Earl Grey from Narien Teas does not disappoint.  While the tea leaves are quite pungent, the bergamot is strong enough in the blend to provide a delicious balance of fruit and tea leaf.   The full-bodied tea is very bold in flavor, and the bergamot orange flavor offers a very pleasant, citrus-y tone to the overall cup.

Narien Teas describes this tea as

Earl Grey is a citrusy blend of tippy china black teas, blue cornflowers and aromatic bergamot.

Hand blended with pure bergamot oil and blue cornflowers to insure an distinctive flavour and aroma. Named after Charles Grey, Prime Minister to King William IV in the early 19th century. According to legend a Chinese mandarin presented the tea to Charles Grey.

I prefer my Earl Grey teas served hot, especially when they are of exceptionally fine quality like this Earl Grey.   I do not usually take my Earl Grey teas with milk or cream, but some sweetener goes very well with this tea, and brings the lovely complexity of this tea into focus.

Generally speaking, I do prefer my Earl Grey teas to have a little more bergamot essence than this one carries; however, as the tea is of such a high quality and outstanding flavor, it more than makes up for a little less bergamot.  In fact, it is because of the high quality and outstanding flavor of this tea that I would actually prefer it NOT to have a stronger bergamot presence.  Why conceal the flavor of this brilliant tea?

I would recommend this Earl Grey to anyone who finds most Earl Grey teas to be too overwhelmingly bergamot and not enough tea… I think that this tea will satisfy any misgivings they may have with other Earl Grey teas.