Auggy

I’m starting to feel a little competition growing in me reading all your EG posts, hahaha. I finally found a distributor of bergamot oranges in my state (for this season, anyway) and I’m thinking it’s about time to start working on the newest batches of Green Raven Tea & Coffee Earl Greys…
Sounds like you prefer the perfume-like bergamot oil extract verses the true bergamot orange peel oil citrus and floral aroma?
I might have to toss a couple samples your way come late winter.

Well if competition growing in you leads to you tossing me samples, bring on the competition! :)
And honestly, I can’t really say if I prefer the perfume-like oil extract vs. the true bergamot orange peel because I am not sure enough of the difference (perhaps from having most things with the oil extract?). I will say that I remember liking A&D’s Earl Grey and Rishi’s Earl Grey because they struck me as having kind of juicy bergamot and I am not all that fond of Taylor’s of Harrogate’s EG because it struck me as too perfume-y… but I have no idea if that would be bergamot-flavoring-related or something else. What’s a good way to tell?

Well, the overly perfume-like quality can either be from using too much oil extract or using a false bergamot oil. Most companies apply the scenting agent directly on the leaves, producing a heady fragrance and persistent aroma. Direct scenting with the real oil (extract or pressed peels) lends a light bitter taste, which is sort of the only way to tell flavor-wise if it’s actually from bergamot oranges versus a mimic or synthetic scenting agent… You could try rubbing the leaves on your arm and go out and get a sunburn if you really care – a chemical in unrefined oil from the citrus will cause slight discoloration and increased light sensitivity (really, if you can’t taste the difference, who cares?). Indirect scenting with either extract or pressed peels produces a citrus and floral accent more true to the aroma of the oranges, but is much more labor intensive, time consuming, and expensive. I much prefer the results of indirect scenting with the extract or I directly apply spritzed oil from the actual peels and blend non-crushed dried peel with the leaves, though this can take over a week for 500g and cost ridiculous amounts of money without a commercial setup and supplier.

Interesting – just like the different ways of scenting/flavoring jasmine teas, yes? Very interesting! Know any commercially available EGs that are indirectly scented? I’m guessing the EGs I’ve had that make me think juicy, fruity thoughts would fall into that category?

Well, the vast majority of Jasmines are still scented with the flowers or petals mixed with the tea and removed, with the big difference between them being the quality of tea, freshness of tea & jasmine, number of scenting rounds, and shape of leaves during scenting.

I can only speak of the differences in scenting EG from my screwball home experiments – sorry. I can definitely tell you that the indirectly scented ones made of intact leaves lose most of the aroma in subsequent infusions since the scenting is mostly an aromatic taint to the outsides of the leaves.