Organic Earl Grey by Tealicious

My little teacup infuser, still going strong!

Teaware: 8oz depression glass cup and tea ball infuser

Measured dry: 1 tsp

Water Temperature: Boiling

Steeping Time: 4 minutes

Additives: 2 tsp Sugar in the Raw 

This sample is one of three which were sent to me by Tealicious. It's part of their new lineup for this fall, and is set to debut in October. Because of that it's not listed on their website yet, so I can't tell you exactly what the ingredients are, or what directions to follow.

I made an educated guess based on the other Earl Greys I've enjoyed during this project - most seem to be about 1 tsp/8oz for a 3-5 minute steep.

Dry, this has a sharp bergamot aroma with just a hint of something that smells almost like dark chocolate. The mix is composed of a chopped black blend as the base, some tiny red flowers, and peppercorn-size pieces of something small and yellow that may be citrus rind. There were also 2-3 longer pieces of what looked like lemongrass, but they didn't make their way into the picture.

Steeped, it's a lovely dark amber. The taste is just as impressive - the black blend is the first wave, followed closely by a sweetly and surprisingly mild citrus flavor with just hints of floral notes. It's not very astringent - it's been one of the few so far that hasn't left me with a dry tongue.

I'm actually surprised at how much I enjoyed it - after nearly 20 Earl Grey reviews, they're starting to seem a little similar. But this? I just wanted to cup my hands around it and sink in, maybe with a book or a pen in hand.

In an effort to extend it, I tried a second steep and it impressed me again. It was weaker, but held up fairly well. A lot better than many of the other Earl Greys I've tried during this project! I will definitely consider re-steeping this one in the future.

Overall, this is a highly enjoyable cup of tea, and I'm glad I have just enough of the sample left for one more cup because this is moving on to the next round in the Battle of the Earl Greys!

Prominent Notes: Black tea and bergamot

Aftertaste: Citrus and very light floral

Overall: A surprisingly solid contender - a wonderful cup!