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The temperature outside is hovering around 103°F, so a cool glass of this is rocking my world right now! I can definitely taste the Darjeeling base in all its buttery goodness, but what surprises me the most is that the bright punch of bergamot has given way to a deeper minty flavor. I have no idea where it’s coming from, but it was an aftertaste of the hot tea as well.

This tea has surprised me several times today – first, that I would be at all impressed with an Earl Grey with a green base, and second that its iced version is actually neck in neck with my esteem for the hot version. All in all, I am very, very happy that Mariage Frères gave me the opportunity to try this as part of my Battle of the Earl Greys project. It’s been a treat!

You can see pictures and read the full review here:
http://wordsabouttea.blogspot.com/2013/06/earl-grey-imperial-by-mariage-freres.html

The name is perfect for this one – it’s summertime in a cup! From the gorgeous Baltic amber color to the absolutely wonderful peach flavor, I’m really, really enjoying it!

Now, that said, sometimes for your own happiness you just have to take a piece of information and drop it. For example, I can’t watch The Queen of the Damned if I try to line it up at all with the books. I have to think of it in its own alternate universe. That’s how I stay in my happy place. For this tea, well, drop the “Earl Grey” from the name. This is a peach-flavored black, and a good one at that.

It’s delicious hot, and pretty good iced as well. It’s one that I’m going to keep in my cupboard… with those two words crossed off the title! ;)

Pictures and full review here:
http://wordsabouttea.blogspot.com/2013/06/summertime-earl-grey-by-simpson-vail.html

The latest contender in the Battle of the Earl Greys! This was a very interesting and somewhat playful cup, and the dry smell was completely different from the steeped taste. Dry, this blend smells like you just cut into a juicy grapefruit – it actually makes me crave one!

Steeped, the black teas take the helm and the grapefruit fades into the background. To me, this tastes more like a grapefruit black than an Earl Grey, but for the most part that’s because I can’t pick out the bergamot. Still, a tasty cup and a nice way to wake up!

You can read my complete review here:
http://wordsabouttea.blogspot.com/2013/06/citrus-paradisi-earl-grey-blend-by.html

This has been on my shopping list for a while, and I’m glad I was able to try it before I bought it! Less regrets that way! The black tea definitely plays a prominent role in the cup, with just a baby kick of bergamot as backup. I can taste hints of the caramel and vanilla, but they’re more evident in the smell than the taste. Thank you, Short Sorceress, for the opportunity to try this out!

This tea came to me via Della Terra’s Facebook giveaway. It just arrived today, and I couldn’t wait to try it!

Because I have a little bit left of their Lemon Chiffon, I decided to compare the dry smells. The Chiffon has more of a dessert smell – a wee bit more artificial and sugary sweet. The Parfait, though, smells more fresh and authentic. It’s almost like I just grated some lemon rind while getting ready to make the real thing.

What’s odd is that the dry smell is completely different from the taste of the brewed tisane. To my husband and I, this tastes like a rush of lemonade quickly followed by lemon meringue. The toasted, creamy flavor is actually adhering to my tongue just like a real meringue would. It’s a bit of a mind boggler for me, as this is the first tisane I’ve tried that truly tastes like what it advertises.

Of the ingredients, I don’t really taste the apple and cranberry, but the cranberry certainly comes out in the color: a pretty crystal pink that contrasts in an interesting way with the overwhelmingly lemon flavor.

All in all, I’m really enjoying this and I am very excited that this was a 2oz bag, so we can continue to enjoy this! For now, I’m going for another cup!

For pictures and a slightly longer review, please visit:
http://wordsabouttea.blogspot.com/2013/06/lemon-creme-parfait-by-della-terra-teas.html

Thank you, Short Sorceress, for introducing me to my new favorite Earl Grey Lavender! You were right – the 3min steep was just about right.

Overall, I’m really impressed with this tea. It was absolutely wonderful, with a fantastic balance between the Earl Grey flavor profile and the lavender – no perfume taste here! I’ve come across a couple EGLs during the Battle of the Earl Greys, and it’s much better than the Adagio, where the lavender overwhelms the cup. This is something I will totally come back to!

You can read my full review here:
http://wordsabouttea.blogspot.com/2013/06/earl-grey-lavender-by-rishi-tea.html

A couple months ago, my husband knocked over some of the cast-iron cups for my tetsubin. They fell and the enamel chipped, so it gave me an excuse to order a new pair – as well as the new trivet I’d been wanting! A sample of this tea came with the order, in a cute little tin. Now, I’m little more than a novice when it comes to green teas – I’m just not as good about placing their notes in comparison to the black teas I’m more familiar with. This is smooth, and I can taste the usual green vegetal notes, but they seem to build up to a slightly nutty aftertaste.

I love to start the day with Earl Grey! This is the latest tea in my summer project, and it was given to me to review. This is a nice, fragrant tea with a smooth, mild citrus taste. The bergamot is actually pretty light, which makes the black blend the focus of the cup. It’s a matter-of-fact Earl Grey, but a good place to start before moving on to their other variations.

You can read the full review here:
http://wordsabouttea.blogspot.com/2013/06/earl-grey-by-simpson-vail.html

Oh, what a sweet way to break up the day! After I dragged my husband around our local antique mall (no die-for teapots, sadly!) we needed something to perk ourselves back up with. This did the job perfectly. The first sip, sans additives, had me a little worried but a bit of sweetener and a dash of milk transformed it into a much richer treat. I don’t really taste the tang of cheesecake, but it does make for a creamy vanilla chai. Thank you, Short Sorceress, for the opportunity to try this great tea!

My husband is more of a laid back guy – most teas he can take or leave. He’s nearly as happy with the nameless pu-erh we got at the Asian market (and I found what looked like tooth floss in it!) as the mini cakes I got him from Arbor. But he loves this tea. He says it reminds him of the bottled iced-teas, but with more natural flavors. And for the first time, he asked me to add something to a tea order!

Myself, I’m not quite as enthusiastic about it. The tea leaves did open significantly – I had to switch it to a different teapot because the filter was too small! – but while I may look as much as I want at the pretty green leaves I don’t taste anything but the slightest hint of them. It’s all about the citrus. Despite that, I am impressed by how consistent the re-steeps are. This has lasted me most the afternoon, and the taste has barely changed at all.

Update: Four steepings now, in my 24oz teapot, and it’s still holding strong. I think this thing might actually outlast us!