Earl Grey Matcha

I really got this mainly as a mixer. I tend to lean towards the more complex, dessert-y matcha flavors like Pumpkin Pie and Cheesecake, and Earl Grey seemed like it’d be the perfect compliment to a lot of my favorites. I have so many different Earl Greys in my cupboard, it seemed blasphemous not to have an EG matcha as well even if it’s just for experimenting with. But of course I have to try it by itself first! I got:

Size: Small (30 grams)
Base: Classic Matcha
Flavor: Delicate

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much of this by itself. Like the Chai Matcha, I got it for playing around with and never really intended to drink it alone. Of course, I was totally wrong! Never underestimate the beauty of a simple matcha. Sure, it’s great to have English Toffee and Tiramisu, but there’s an elegance and simplicity to this matcha that really shines all on its own.

Bergamot is what makes Earl Grey, well, Earl Grey, and it’s nicely present here. I’m glad I went with delicate: while I do like a strong EG, I didn’t want it overpowering here at all. There’s that classic citrus tang, with just a hint of floral qualities that really go well with the fresh, grassy matcha. I’m not sure if bergamot is the only flavoring used here, because as the description states there’s just a tiny hint of warming smoke. It reminds me of a brisk EG with a strong black base, mixed in with my matcha! Refreshing, bright, and very different from all the other ones in my cupboard.

Honestly, I think it’s going to be hard to even mix this with anything else now that I’ve tried it on its own! It’s just so delicious. However, the lure of Earl Grey Cheesecake Matcha is really really calling to me. Plus, I have everything I need now to recreate Paris in matcha form! I don’t know why, but I think it would be fun to redo some of my favorite tea blends with matcha flavors. That is, if I don’t drink this one up plain first! Definitely a cupboard staple. You can get some here:

http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/earl-grey-matcha.html

I am a huge Earl Grey fan, but I’m also a pretty picky Earl Grey fan. I went back and forth for a while on whether I would order the Earl Grey matcha; on one hand, how could I not? But on the other I am happy with regular Earl Greys, so why do I need a matcha one? In the end, obviously, the former one out, and I ordered the matcha with the classic (basic) grade, with robust flavoring, from here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/earl-grey-matcha.html

Upon opening the package, my first thought was holy moley, that’s strong. Like, cleaning solution strong. And it preparation it remains strong, and not in a good way. This bergamot is pungent and floral to the point of bitterness. This is bitterness not in the matcha, but from the sheer amount of bergamot in the cup. After a bit I added some sugar to try to dampen it a bit, and it did work a little, but as it cools it is coming back with a vengance.

I would not recommend ordering this one at the robust flavoring level, even if you loooove bergamot as I do. I will see how this does in a latte, and I will be definitely mixing it with a variety of other matchas to try to tame it. A biiiit to much for me.

This was added to the box in an continuing effort to seduce my wife to the ways of matcha. So far, the best I’ve gotten out of her was “That’s….interesting.” Ah well, more for me. London Fogs, also known as an Earl Grey with vanilla and milk, are her favorite winter drink, so that’s what I had in mind when I snagged this little beauty. That and she’s a sucker for anything Earl Grey. But I’m looking forward to mixing this with, you guessed it, vanilla. An Earl Grey/vanilla was my very first tea, though I’m not much of an Earl Grey fan nowadays. But still, it sounded very tasty and I had to at least try it (found here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/earl-grey-matcha.html). I’m a bit worried, after the bitterness of the lemon matcha, but I was worried about the watermelon and it turned out amazing. And we’re big fans of the Earl Grey from Red Leaf Teas around here, so we have a lot of faith in this blend. Their Earl Grey Oolong is one of the teas my wife absolutely cannot do without, and their Raspberry Earl Grey was one of the few teas I’ve actually seen her mourn when it was discontinued. So yes, if there was ever an Earl Grey matcha to get her into matcha, it would have to be from Red Leaf Tea.

Success! We went to the zoo on Friday and my poor wife was only running on a couple hours sleep, so I made her a matcha London Fog and she loved it. Loved it! I stole a few sips of the Earl Grey before mixing it in with everything else and it was perfect Earl Grey, and I knew that I’d made the right choice. I mixed together equal parts Earl Grey matcha and French Vanilla matcha (both from Red Leaf Tea, of course) and whisked it together in a bowl to be sure to get all the lumps out. Personally I don’t care about a clump or matcha or two, but it really turns her off of her drink. Anyway, I heated up some vanilla soy milk, frothed it up, added it to the blend and it was perfect. She loved it! And it’s so much better for you than the regular London Fog, full of syrup and dairy…blegh. This is one I think I’ll have to keep in stock, if only for my wife’s sake, which I am more than happy to do.