Nov 10
Review: WeAreTea.com Earl Grey Supreme
Bergamot Tea, Black Tea, Ceylon Tea, Earl Grey Tea, WeAreTea.com Add commentsDan’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "An Earl Grey tea with weak bergamot flavoring is not my first choice. When I go looking for a Grey, I want that bergamot flavor! "
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Tea (the company with the website www.wearetea.com) issues the all-too-true statement that Earl Grey is the most recognizable and common flavored tea in the western world, yet most of it is absolute garbage. Okay, maybe I paraphrased that a little bit. But the sentiment is there. They have taken strides to present an earl Grey made with rich, whole leaf Ceylon tea, and scented with Bergamot. That statement has piqued my interest - particularly the word "scented". I was under the impression that the majority of Earl Grey producers actually utilized oil of bergamot, this actually adding the product to the leaves themselves. Here though, www.wearetea.com indicates that their leaves are merely in the presence of the bergamot. How will this play out? Inquiring minds want to know...The dried leaf appears uniform in size, quality, and color - a medium-sized leaf, semi-broken, rich Mahogany color. Mixed in with the Ceylon is a sprinkling of blue sunflower (?) petals to enhance the aesthetics. The aroma is every bit as intense as any other Earl Grey dried leaf, but what translates to the cup is quite a different story.
The cup brews up to a rich red-amber after 3 minutes using just-boiled water. I utilized 1T of leaf, and expected to be bowled over with bergamot flavor. However, I got the opposite reaction. The first few sips had me wondering what had happened. The bergamot flavor was barely present, and when it was, it was rather perfumey, and not the greatest. Aroma-wise, the bergamot was virtually non-existent in the cup. As the cup cools, the flavor gets more astringent, almost producing a sour flavor. Pretty much a disappointment, overall.
This tea won two gold stars at the 2009 Great Taste Awards in the UK. I'm a bit puzzled, as the flavor, as far as an Earl Grey is concerned, is just weak. The flavor, in general - particularly as the cup cooled - left much to be desired, in fact. But the bottom line is that when I go looking for a Grey, I want that bergamot flavor!
— To purchase WeAreTea.com Earl Grey Supreme, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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