Element Tea included this is a sample in my recent (first, last, and never again) order from them. Sad they are going out of business, but yay for cheap tea. I ordered three real teas, and you would think I’d try them first, but nope. When I saw this was an included sample, I got really excited, because I almost bought this, but didn’t.
I’ve been searching for a tolerable Earl Grey…. and this is not it, unfortunately. I steeped this for 3 minutes with boiling water, and at first I thought it was too bitter… until I realized it was just very citrus-y. Almost like a grapefruit peel. Ick. I think that’s the Oil of Bergamot coming in that I’m not a big fan of. I was hoping to taste some creaminess, but all I get is that citrus taste. Not good :( .. It does have an interesting smell to it.
I decided to cut this with some skim milk, and in doing so, it’s a lot better. BUT, I still want a tea that I can drink straight, so having to put milk in it to make it tolerable shouldn’t really be necessary. I don’t mind a tea where the milk enhances the flavor, but no point in buying a tea that I can only drink under certain conditions if there are others I can drink straight- right?
Second infusion at 3 minutes: Brewed this again at 3 minutes, and the second infusion is not nearly as strong – which is good. It tastes less citrus-y and more like black tea. I just think I’m not a big Earl Grey fan, and may never be. How sad :(
