Upton Tea Imports

The dry leaf smells awful perfume-y but happily once it is brewed a bit of a tea smell joins up with it. The taste is not overwhelmingly bergamot thankfully – it’s actually a pretty smooth blend of tea base (though not an overly strong or distinct tasting base) and bergamot. It’s got a heavy feel on my tongue, kind of silky, and that’s nice.

I’m having this cup straight, but unlike yesterday’s EG, this one isn’t really very sweet and the bergamot is a straight bergamot (instead of candied citrus) so I think it would take additives rather well. It doesn’t necessarily need them though but it couldn’t hurt to slightly soften and sweeten the bergamot edge to the end which occasionally comes across as a bit sharp and dry.

All in all, it seems to be on the good side of a standard Earl Grey. I think I prefer the not-quite-as-EG EGs from Upton that I’ve been sampling recently, just because they are something different and a hair more exciting.

This was alright. I am picky when teas are fruit flavored. The flavoring just wasn’t tasty. It was fake tasting. I tried it iced, and finished my cup. I didn’t care for the black tea either, just wasn’t OMG worthy. It does smell like it tastes, which isn’t a plus. I’m just not loving it.

Really good for no doctoring, definitely no additives needed. I enjoy it – it might be close to perfect. Doesn’t zing with bergamot as much as I would expect, but very good. I will give this tea an 80 rating with room for growth.

Trying it with additives this time, just ‘cause I can. Looking back over my previous tasting note, I was concerned that sugar would make it too sweet and milk might kill some of the flavors. And yeah, that’s basically it. I added maybe half a teaspoon of sugar to my 10oz but it’s surprisingly sweet. And the milk takes away the candied citrus aspect of things and turns it more into a perfume-y EG flavor which isn’t near as fun. But it’s still not bad, I just like it more straight.

Oooh, great aroma. The dry leaves smell very sweet – like candied citrus. Once brewed, the smell citrus comes through stronger but it’s still very sweet smelling.

And wow at the taste. Very citrusy. But not harsh. Again, I’m going to go with candied citrus, possibly because it is and possibly because I’ve been up for only 15 minutes and my brain is merely limping along so I can’t think of anything else. I can’t really say, “Oh, this is the bergamot, this is the lemon”, it’s just all citrusy-fresh and sweet in a way that makes me think of my favorite heirloom navel oranges – they are very sweet with just a slight tang of citrusy sharpness, and so is this tea. The citrus isn’t refreshingly tangy or anything. It’s just sweet. (That’s okay, I like sweet.)

There is a hint of astringency on the end of some sips. Also, the flavoring starts to feel a little strong/perfume-y as it floats up the back of my throat into my sinuses, but it’s a wet, sweet perfume-y instead of a dry, floral perfume-y so I’m okay with it. I do feel the flavoring almost needs a little taming, but I think sugar would make it too sweet and milk might kill the flavors too much.

The aftertaste is a little tart as it builds in my mouth and there isn’t a whole lot of the tea base flavor coming through. But it’s not a rough nor harsh tea so I suppose I will forgive it these little quirks.