Classic Earl Grey

Sample from my Butiki order.
Dry leaves smell very nice, not picking up a lot of Bergamot.
Tea smells of a very good quality black, small amount of Bergamot/Citrus shining through.
Lovely dark red in color.
I can taste the citrus, the black tea and the bergamot!
Very nice tea.
If you enjoy a Earl Grey with a lower amount of bergamot I would say this is for you.

Another free sample from Butiki!

The dry tea smells very mildly of sweet bergamot. Brewed the tea is lightly scented bergamot but there is also a sweet scent to the tea. The brewed tea taste like a medium boldness black tea with light bergamot flavouring. The black tea base is not too strong and it blends well with the bergamot. The bergamot tastes sweet. There is almost a sweet candied orange taste to the tea. The sweetness is not overpowering though, and fits just right with the tea blend.

I would describe this as a traditional Earl Grey, the bergamot is just right. This is a good one for anyone that doesn’t like their bergamot too strong.

Well, despite my attempts to fight it, I have come down with the cold that my youngest daughter brought home with her over the holiday. So, this is going to be the last of “new” (err… that is, new to me!) teas that I will be drinking until I feel better, because my taste buds just aren’t up to it.

This is probably much better than it tastes to me right now, so I am not going to rate it until I can taste it with healthy taste buds.

I am surprised reading some of these other reviews. When I opened the bag, I immediately smelled a very strong Bergamot smell. (Bergamot is that orangey-citrus smell/taste, right?)

I just sipped the tea, and again, I am getting A LOT of Bergamot. It is almost overpowering, but I was in the mood for a lighter black tea this morning, and I am enjoying the citrus note.

Overall, this is good. Definitely more citrusy than some of the other Earl Grey’s I have had.

I’m really enjoy this! It’s more of a cakey type EG but I really like it! It’s not overly bergamotty or overly astringent/peppery like some EGs are! This is YUMMERS!

Sample package label: “Classic Earl Grey, Temp 195*F; Time 2min”

Per http://www.butikiteas.com/Black.html: “Recommended Amount: 2 teaspoons of tea for 8oz of water”

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 195*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.

2 Tevanna teaspoons, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Introduction: Most Earl Grey teas are light- to medium-bodied. While my wife loves the aroma and flavor of a well-balanced EG, she typically does not find them to be strong enough. To compensate, she will increase the amount of tea leaves and/or the brewing time. However, you can only increase those two parameters so much.

Fragrance: This black tea has a fresh classic Earl Grey fragrance without any hint of artificial additives – the genuine article!

Dry leaf – Dark brown leaves

Infused Leaf – red / brown hue

Impression: This is an elegant smooth, well-balanced Classic Earl Grey with a fresh subtle pleasing lemon aroma The harmonious blended tea base of Chinese, Indian, and Sri Lankan teas was well chosen. There was no hint of tartness, bitterness or astringency.

My wife enjoyed this tea but didn’t find it to be “The EG” she’s been seeking. She prefers a ROBUST version of Stacy’s very well balanced Classic EG. A full-bodied stimulating breakfast tea base with an equally strong EG aroma and flavor. An EG that will make you “Sit Up and Take Notice.” An EG on STEROIDS!

Butiki EG NEWS: Per Stacy, “We are working on a premium version that will replace this version but that won’t be ready for a month or two.” Given Stacy’s track record in providing high quality hand-blended teas, we can’t wait!

Thanks to Stacy for providing this free sample.

First, thanks to Butiki Teas for sending me a free sample of this to review! I woke up this morning with zero energy (it might have been the wet, sleety snow outside—blech!), so I decided I’d try this tea for a wake up boost. I followed the brewing instructions exactly, though a two minute brew time is quick! The liquor turned out a medium-tint reddish brown, and the aroma is that of the nice black tea base with an overlayer of bergamot. The flavor is nice and balanced between the bergamot and the black tea. To me this bergamot is a little more floral than fruity, but as it cools more citrus notes come out. There’s a bit of maltiness, and a slight astringency. I can see why the steep time is lower, because it seems like this tea might edge toward bitterness if steeped too long or at boiling. Overall this is a nicely blended Earl Grey with a strong black tea base.