Tetley

This is my go-to everyday tea. Always have a large box of it in my cupboard, ready to go. Have a glass most days right after waking up.

To prepare, I boil a large mug of milk, steep one tea bag directly in the heated milk (which takes some effort as the tea doesn’t like leaving the bag without plenty of dipping and stirring….), add a generous amount of sugar, stir again, and enjoy a blissful drink to start the day.

Once the cup is gone 30+ minutes later, the day can finally begin!

Very strong – unlike other black teas, becomes too bitter for my taste when left to steep in the cup indefinitely. But great with some milk.

Very strange flavor.

One of my favorites cold teas (and it also works well as a hot tea).

One of my favorites cold teas (and it also works well as a hot tea).

Tetley Extra Earl Grey.
Bergamotte taken to a higher level.

This is the only tea my mom owns. It is one if the first teas I tried and I hated it. For years I thought I hated tea because of this and Red Rose.

Well today I was supposed to get on a train back to London but I missed it and will now be taking a train tomorrow morning. As such, all of my stuff is packed and still in the back of the car, including my tea. That’s why I decided to revisit this.

Honestly, while it is much more palatable than it was when I was a child, it still isn’t my favorite. It is smoother than I recall (probably because I actually know how to brew tea and didn’t drastically oversteep it) but also much more boring. A slight bit of malt and a slight floral-ish quality but not much more.

Nothing special for me (neither 1st nor 2nd steep), quite characterless.

This is my go-to basic black tea for daily morning drinking. It brews up strong enough that milk and sugar don’t overwhelm it, but can be drunk plain. It brews decently at under-boiling temps from the office cooler, and also can make a good sun-brewed ice tea.

Don’t let the name fool you, it’s an hibiscus tea (a hibiscus tea?).

But it’s pleasant enough. Aroma is mostly tangy hibiscus and citrus, some peach and a cinnamon base note. I think I might get some of that dried apple, too, or it might be an association with the cinnamon aroma. This tea is BRICK RED, hibiscus is the first ingredient after all. Tart and tangy but not overly so, I get orange and floral peach flavorings that taste a bit contrived, very light cinnamon and apple and I think the chicory gives a hint of a roasted bass note. Lingering tart aftertaste. This might be better cold-brewed and I wonder, despite my preference for not sweetening teas, if a little sugar would help that peach pop. Now that I’m typing this review, I’m noticing a surprising cooling sensation coming up from my esophagus. Whoa. Must be one of the “natural flavors.” I like but it’s odd.

So, one neat thing about this tea is the design of the bag. When I first looked at it, I thought, “What is all this string about?” Then I looked at the back of the envelope where there were instruction printed on how to use the teabag. The string is one of those that you’re supposed to pull out of the bag, know what I mean? but there’s a perforated tag at the top joining both the ends of the string. When you’re done steeping, you tear the paper tag and pull both ends outward and that draws more string out of the bag, squeezing the teabag in the process. While it’s not a tight squeeze, it’s pretty handy for those that feel compelled to squeeze the last drops of life from… teabags… but don’t have a spoon or don’t want to use their fingers.

That was a really long and wordy explanation. There’s probably a 3-second Youtube video showing the process more efficiently than reading that novel :P

So yeah, the tea, it’s ok. Too bright to be sipping on near midnight, though.

I caught some common cold, so I took some fruity tea. This should increase my metabolism, but I don´t care. I just wanted something easy drinking.

Aroma is really blueberry and raspberry as on sample (actually coupon) bag written.

Colour – clear and deep red.

Taste is quite medicinal, hibiscus and rosehips and fruits. Probably mix of blue/raspberry. At least it is fruity and not artificial. Or well done artificial.

In conclusion, quite good, not so sweet, fruit blend.

Daily, I cart three to four steeped travel tea mugs full of tea wherever I go. Yesterday, I had a full day meditation thing and as usual, I brought my tea.

When we have tea breaks, my meditation place sets out three or four big teapots of various bagged teas for the meditators.

Usually, the pot of black tea is Red Rose, but yesterday, it was Tetley black which to me tastes pretty much like Red Rose. I poured myself a cup and added a hefty glug of milk.

Despite being a tea snob, at meditation days, this and Red Rose taste like ambrosia. I carted my travel containers home, full as they were when I arrived.

I’ll just go with that.

Solid sturdy English Breakfast, which is exactly what English Breakfast needs to be IMHO.

I really love it. It is of very good qulity.

I found this at my local grocery store while looking for a convenient option for morning-time rush, and my eyes quickly settled on this. I vaguely remembered a friend mentioning it as her favourite, so I bought it. I have a problem with impulse buys, but that’s okay. Anyways, when I got home I immediately put my groceries away and set about brewing this tea. It was very quick, and I added some sugar and milk as per the instructions. The first sip was a little bland, but the predominate note was definitely cinnamon. As I went through the cup, the flavour became stronger, and I could taste limited amounts of other spices. Overall, my favourite thing about this tea was the interesting way it made me feel. It made me feel very sleepy, despite being a black tea, and like my stomach was heavy and full. It was quite pleasant as a whole, and I would recommend it for after a particularly difficult bout of studying and such.

This is my go-to tea for after a workout. Actually, it’s one of my go-to teas at any time, for good reason. Not only was Tetley’s Earl Grey one of the first teas I really enjoyed drinking. The tea is slightly bitter and has a warm bergamot taste – more subtle than a lot of other Earl Grey teas I’ve tried – but is still unmistakably black tea. If you can find the loose leaf in stores, it’s well worth the extra couple dollars, but a pack of tea bags works (for this) in a pinch.

Refreshing

I can’t stop drinking this, and it’s become a daily NEED, rather than a want.

I usually make it as part of my butter/coconut oil tea (a la Bulletproof Tea style) every morning. So, brew the tea until it’s strong as molasses, then add 2 TB of coconut oil, sometimes some protein powder, and stevia. Blend – drink.

I adore turmeric teas, which is why I got it initially. Plus, I think it was on sale. Turmeric, ginger, tulsi… it’s literally the perfect combination for kapha-based folks (like me), or those that need some lovin’ in the heat/warmth department within their bodies. My partner, who is a Vata through and through, loves this stuff as well. He says it eases his joint pain.

Yes, it’s bagged tea, and yes, it’s Tetley. Still love this stuff, and can’t seem to make my own version of it that’s just as tasty.

it gets a 75 rating – it’s not GREAT, world-class tea (it’s really just herbs and spices) but it’s a go-to in my house.

Very mellow, watery taste, with nothing to focus on. Drinkable, but way too bland.

Not the best chai, but vertainly a good option when you just want a bit of spice. It is a good go-to, not expensive, easy to find. Not something I would carefully prepare or drink, but a nice anyways. Good overall!