Earl Grey Organic by Mighty Leaf vs. Earl Grey French Blue by Mariage Frères

We've made it to the third face/off of the second elimination round! The face/offs are getting closer and closer, and soon we will have a winner! For today, we have two more excellent opponents are squaring off: Mighty Leaf's Earl Grey Organic and Earl Grey French Blue by Mariage Frères.


Earl Grey Organic by Mighty Leaf
Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug with lid, half full
Measured dry: 1 sachet
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 2 teaspoons of raw sugar





Earl Grey French Blue by Mariage Frères
Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug with lid
Measured dry: 1-1/2 teaspoons
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 4 teaspoons of raw sugar





Now that both cups have been properly infused, let's see how they meet the criteria!

1. Does the tea taste smooth, without any jarring notes?

• Mighty Leaf: This is a brisk cup with slight astringency.

• Mariage Frères: Yes, this is incredibly smooth.

2. If this is a variety blend, does the Earl Grey flavor profile maintain the driver's seat?

• Mighty Leaf: This is a straightforward Earl Grey that follows the traditional flavor profile.

• Mariage Frères: The cornflowers add a decidedly floral note, but it is not overwhelming and the traditional flavor profile flourishes with the addition.

3. Is there a "Wow!" factor? Something that makes it stand out?

• Mighty Leaf: The biggest draw for this tea is its organic certification and the convenience of its biodegradable individual sachets. 

• Mariage Frères: This is an incredible blend of floral and black tea notes, and all the elements seem to complement each other just about perfectly. It's so smooth I just want to slide on into the cup!

4. How is the astringency? Does it detract from the tea?

• Mighty Leaf: There is some slight astringency, which certainly lends it a very brisk quality but doesn't really take away from the experience.

• Mariage Frères: N/A - There is no noticeable astringency.

5. Does it have any special ties to sustainability, Fair-Trade, or eco-friendliness?

• Mighty Leaf: This is certified organic and comes packaged in individual, biodegradable sachets. 

• Mariage Frères: None listed.

Jake's Opinion: In this match, the Mariage Frères really stands out. The traditional flavor profile of the Earl Grey mixed with the floral elements makes for a very smooth and delightful cup.

Lyssa's Opinion: I have to agree with Jake, between these two teas, I do prefer the Mariage Frères. The Mighty Leaf is a very good tea, but the face/off format we chose for this project does require that only one tea move forward.


So, the winner of this face/off is...

Earl Grey French Blue by Mariage Frères

Earl Grey Organic by Mighty Leaf vs. Earl Grey by DAVIDsTEA

We've now made it to the last face/off of the first elimination round! Today, Mighty Leaf's Earl Grey Organic is going up against the Earl Grey from DAVIDsTEA!

Earl Grey Organic by Mighty Leaf
Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug with lid
Measured dry: 2 sachets
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 4 teaspoons of raw sugar

Earl Grey by DAVIDsTEA
Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug with lid
Measured dry: 2-1/2 teaspoons
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4-1/2 minutes
Additives: 4 teaspoons of raw sugar





Now that both cups have been properly infused, let's see how they meet the criteria!

1. Does the tea taste smooth, without any jarring notes?

• Mighty Leaf: There are no jarring notes, but it does have a little briskness to wake you up. 

• DAVIDsTEA: This tea tastes similar - no jarring notes, but you can't miss the briskness either, and the bergamot does stand out.

2. If this is a variety blend, does the Earl Grey flavor profile maintain the driver's seat?

• Mighty Leaf: While this is labeled a straightforward Earl Grey (albeit organic) this has some surprising floral notes for a tea whose ingredients list only black tea and bergamot.

• DAVIDsTEA: It's odd, this tea actually does list cornflower as one of its ingredients, but it is difficult to pick out its floral notes - the more traditional flavor profile is more distinct. To be thorough, I did go back and make sure the correct tea was in the right cup!

3. Is there a "Wow!" factor? Something that makes it stand out?

• Mighty Leaf: I do appreciate the convenience of the biodegradable sachets, but aside from its organic certification this is just a nice, straightforward Earl Grey.

• DAVIDsTEA: Nope - this is exactly what it says it is.

4. How is the astringency? Does it detract from the tea?

• Mighty Leaf: The astringency is noticeable but mild, and doesn't make the tea any less enjoyable.

• DAVIDsTEA: The astringency of this cup is just about on par with the Mighty Leaf. It may have just a touch less, but you have to weigh that with its increased briskness.

5. Does it have any special ties to sustainability, Fair-Trade, or eco-friendliness?

• Mighty Leaf: This tea is certified organic, and the sachets that it comes pre-packaged in are biodegradable. 

• DAVIDsTEA: No, and it contains "natural flavoring" it doesn't describe - always a slightly scary thing for those of us with allergies.

Jake's Opinion: I prefer the DAVIDsTea. I approve of the stronger bergamot notes as opposed to the more floral notes of the Mighty Leaf. They're both solid cups of Earl Grey, this one just comes down to the characteristics you prefer.

Lyssa's Opinion: These teas are pretty evenly matched, but fighting allergies as I do, I prefer the one which actually owns up to all their ingredients without me having to go on a fishing trip. I've also made it a prominent part of this project to look for more organic and sustainable teas. Now, I'm still not entirely content with the added waste of a sachet, even though it is biodegradable, but when it comes down to it, I do prefer the Mighty Leaf. I think I have to override Jake on this one.


So, the winner of this face/off is...

Earl Grey Organic by Mighty Leaf

Earl Grey Decaf by Mighty Leaf

Seller Description: "Perfection of a classic, minus the caffeine. Gold tips of rich black tea leaves blended with a twist of deep, first-press bergamot oil."

Directions: "Brew time 4 minutes."
Website: MightyLeaf.com

Teaware: 16oz glass mug with lid (filled halfway)
Measured dry: 1 tea sachet
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 1 tablespoon of raw sugar

This takes the Earl Grey experience into a whole new time slot! Before this, the Battle of the Earl Greys bas been a whirlwind of morning or sometimes early afternoon teas which have left me wound up well into the night and early morning. It was a delightful break to sit back and enjoy this tea without having to worry about the clock.

And I really did enjoy it. It tastes very similar to their regular, caffeinated Earl Grey; sweeter than the sugar alone, this is smooth and eminently sippable. For a decaf tea, I was surprised how much of the usual Earl Grey experience it provided. You get the same smell, a very similar flavor, and a kick of astringency that's low but definitely present.


Now, when it comes to the Battle of the Earl Greys, I am looking for a morning friendly caffeinated tea with the wherewithal to kick my sleepy tail into motion... but this fits a completely difference niche. I have to cut myself off from all caffeine after noon, otherwise I will spend the evening bouncing off the walls, unable to sleep that night. This would allow me to continue to enjoy the flavor of an Earl Grey at school during the afternoon.

Prominent Notes: Bergamot oil with a twist of black tea

Aftertaste: Black tea with an astringent chaser

Overall: A nice way to enjoy an Earl Grey after dark... or even after noon!

Earl Grey Organic by Mighty Leaf

Earl Grey Organic by Mighty Leaf

Seller Description: "A regal blend of the finest golden tip, organic black tea leaves infused with rich first-press bergamot oil. An inspiration to the epicurean with a fancy for the classical."

Directions: "Brew time 4 minutes."
Website: MightyLeaf.com

Teaware: 16oz glass mug with lid
Measured dry: 1 tea sachet
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 1 tablespoon of Sugar in the Raw, a dash of milk

I remember when the "sachets" first started to appear in grocery stores. I liked the idea of full leaf teas and at first I was just wary of adding extra garbage to the landfills. It was later that I realized I also had to worry about possibly contaminating my drinks with chemicals from the heated plastic.

PLA sachet with stitching

When this tea was given to me to review, I knew I had to do a little research. What I found on their website was surprisingly reassuring. Mighty Leaf describes their sachets as "100% polyactic corn based compostable material," and goes on to state that they are also biodegradable. The sachets are actually sewn closed with cotton string instead of staples or glues.

So far, it was sounding a little too good to be true, so I looked up "polyactic" and discovered that polyactic acid (PLA) is a renewable resource that's actually being used in medical implants that are meant to break down in your body - like dissolving stitches. You can click here to read a Smithsonian article about its common uses and issues, but, when it comes down to it, PLA does look like a step in the right direction.

Now, if you've been reading my blog you've probably noticed that the one previous entry for a teabag was a little harsh. Well, a lot of that comes down to not only what its made of, but what's inside. Sachets like this one include full leaf tea that you can actually see, and they generally allow the leaves a lot of room to expand. Teabags, however, are usually much lower grades of tea. It goes all the way down to "fannings": the tea dust left over once higher quality teas are created. That's one thing I do have to give sachets; they offer the convenience of a teabag without the left-over dust that's used in teabags.

But on to the tea itself! 

To make sure this tea was able to live up to its promise, I was very careful with the steeping instructions. I've heard people say before that one of the reasons tea snobs raise their noses at teabags is because well, a) the contents, but also b) they don't prepare it with the exacting nature they do loose leaf.

Infused leaves from sachet

To that end, the quantity was pretty straightforward (one sachet of tea!) and the brewing time was marked on the package (4 minutes), but the ratio was not. It can mean a big difference to a tea if you use one teaspoon of dry tea in a 6oz teacup versus a 16oz mug. One may be overwhelmingly potent while the other may taste like flavored water. 

With all the different teas I've been able to try this summer, I've noticed that no one plays by the same rules and some makers give you dry measures for 6, 7, or finally 8 ounces. That's usually my default, because its the actual cup measure, but it doesn't always make the best cup. 

For this tea, I filled my 16oz mug 2/3 of the way full, which amounted to approx. 10oz of water, and let it steep for four minutes. At first sip the tea was a little mild (next time I will try to hit the 8oz mark on the head) but it held a lot of promise. 

I waited until after the first couple of sips to add a dash of milk, in order to get a better feel for the tea. The black tea notes are the most prominent, with just enough bergamot oil to complete the traditional Earl Grey flavor profile. Because the bergamot is so slight, it contributes to a very subtle tea with pleasantly low astringency - no dry mouth here! Once I added the milk the flavors smoothed out even further and it seemed to bring out some added creaminess in the tea.

Lighter second steep

I did attempt one re-steep, but while the tea's original flavor was present it was pretty light. This will be a one-steep tea for me in the future.

After all the steepings were done, I decided to satisfy my curiosity and open up the sachet. If you go back to the teabag I opened a month or so ago, there is a world of difference between the sachet contents and the bag contents. Instead of the coffee-ground texture of the teabag, the sachet revealed recognizable leaves which had the room they needed to unfurl.

Between opening up the door to some new knowledge and changing some of my preconceived notions about pre-packaged tea, this blend has managed to impress me. It's easy and tasty - things that I definitely appreciate during the school year. Because of that, it will be moving forward into the first elimination round of the Battle of the Earl Greys. 

Prominent Notes: Black tea and light bergamot

Aftertaste: Black tea

Overall: This will be moving on to the first elimination round!