This tea is the main reason I went to ETS this week. I have had several of their teas and all have been exceptional. This one, like most of their offerings, was either $7.50 or $8.00 for 3 1/2oz (100g). I have never had a white Earl Grey before so I really don’t know what to expect with this one. The Earl Green has an outstanding leaf base and is heavily bergamot flavored with peppery notes. The De La Crème from yesterday was wonderfully chocolate and vanilla. The bergamot started more subdued but brightens into a delicious creamy cup of Ceylon based Earl Grey.
On to this tea. Taking the leaf out of the bag I see long wiry, almost black strands (stems?), along with the traditional looking green/white fuzzy leaf. The dry leaf smells of bergamot. It is a just guess at how much leaf to use. I don’t have a scale and this is so wiry I had to judge by how it looked in the bottom of the press.
I ignored the brewing directions on the package. I have enough experience with Empire to know I like tea prepared differently than they prescribe. I used just steaming water and a two minute steep. The liquor is bright and clear with a beautiful yellow/green tint. The wet leaf is Empire’s bergamot and a fresh green leaf scent.
There are three guys at work that I rotate sharing my tea with. Today’s lucky taster’s reaction to this was, “flowers”. The bergamot is strong but not overpowering. It is not bright or tart and not perfumey. I do think I would prefer it be just a tick lighter. This is a white tea after all. You can taste the tea base. You just aren’t going to pick out melon or cucumber subtleties in this flavored tea. Three solid steeps. The fourth was weak until it really cooled off.
This is like earl green lite minus the pepper notes and add in some stems. Resteeps well. A pretty good value. I’m not blown away but do like it a lot.
