I just got a very nice surprise with this tea – expectations are funny things! Ysaurella had kindly sent me a sample, and just last night she had reviewed it, and led me to expect more lavender. She in fact compares it to another lavender tea I also had, Gryphon´s Earl Grey Lavender (a very kind sample as well, this time from LaFleurBleue). And for once Ysaurella and I have diverging opinions – I prefer Mademoiselle and find it less lavender-ish.
I confess I might have mistreated this when brewing, and did not pay too much attention to how long it steeped. I think it might have steeped too long or too hot, it has a small hint of astringency but one which seems to bring out the bergamot. I get the lavender only as a background soothing things. The bergamot is a great bergamot and the base tea just right. Love it, it might be the one lavender earl grey for me.
PS – maybe it is water alchemy? I notice bergamot teas seem to react so differently to different tap waters! Though with my tap water usually it´s violent rebellion not improving alchemy.
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I am happy you loved it ! I brewed mine at 90° and 3 minutes only and I get a hint of astringency too, I think it is the tea base.
but yes to me too much lavender even if I appreciate the blend it suffers the comparison with the gryphon one for my palate :)
It is very funny because to me this is less lavender than the gryphon – but I really am convinced bergamot is a tricky thing and reacts very differently to different waters (maybe the bleach?). I still got one Gryphon tea bag, I shall compare when I use it. Maybe try Gryphon with bottled water, surely it deserves that!
next time I’ll send you a sample of Pouchkine from Betjeman & Barton, it is my favourite bergamot tea along with Earl Grey French Blue (even if sooooo different)
Oh, you temptress! In a couple months, if you loved it, then yes I am sure it will be so interesting. But you know, I am not usually a earl grey person – though good earl greys seem to win over just the same. I got to go and up the rating in Aïda though, it was quite OK the first time I had it, but that tea the more I had it, the better I liked it.
so I’ll need to send you too some Mélange Hédiard as well, these Earl greys are addictive !
Definitely take her up on the Pouchkine, Teresa! I was wowed by the way the bergamot is controlled by the other citrus flavours and the hint of smokiness, and I’m not always an Earl Grey lover.
Ah,ok, I believe you both, one of these days (though do not save it specially for me, drink and enjoy as you will), when I have made a sort of dent in the teas you two ladies have sent me.
It´s sort of torture (a good one, but still), me trying to be sensible about caffeine and two packages arriving on the same day and full of precisely the teas I have been wanting to try. I am restricting myself to two cups a day of something caffeinated (though cheating with second steeps. And plenty of rooibos)
I am happy you loved it ! I brewed mine at 90° and 3 minutes only and I get a hint of astringency too, I think it is the tea base.
but yes to me too much lavender even if I appreciate the blend it suffers the comparison with the gryphon one for my palate :)
It is very funny because to me this is less lavender than the gryphon – but I really am convinced bergamot is a tricky thing and reacts very differently to different waters (maybe the bleach?). I still got one Gryphon tea bag, I shall compare when I use it. Maybe try Gryphon with bottled water, surely it deserves that!
next time I’ll send you a sample of Pouchkine from Betjeman & Barton, it is my favourite bergamot tea along with Earl Grey French Blue (even if sooooo different)
Oh, you temptress! In a couple months, if you loved it, then yes I am sure it will be so interesting. But you know, I am not usually a earl grey person – though good earl greys seem to win over just the same. I got to go and up the rating in Aïda though, it was quite OK the first time I had it, but that tea the more I had it, the better I liked it.
so I’ll need to send you too some Mélange Hédiard as well, these Earl greys are addictive !
Definitely take her up on the Pouchkine, Teresa! I was wowed by the way the bergamot is controlled by the other citrus flavours and the hint of smokiness, and I’m not always an Earl Grey lover.
Ah,ok, I believe you both, one of these days (though do not save it specially for me, drink and enjoy as you will), when I have made a sort of dent in the teas you two ladies have sent me.
It´s sort of torture (a good one, but still), me trying to be sensible about caffeine and two packages arriving on the same day and full of precisely the teas I have been wanting to try. I am restricting myself to two cups a day of something caffeinated (though cheating with second steeps. And plenty of rooibos)