This tea would probably benefit from a shorter steeping time; say, 3 to 4 minutes max. That said, here is my review, at 5:00, as suggested by Adagio.
The nose is classic earl gray. A sharp black tea with a singular bergamot note. The nose is delightful, and just begs you to brew it. It’s one of those teas you stick your nose in, inhale deeply, smile, then go for another, as-deep-as-possible breath. The electric-blue bergamot flowers a visual delight; like miniature blue fire flies in an inky black well.
The taste: It’s classic earl grey. It’s a bit lacking in the bergamot that I so thoroughly enjoy about earl greys. A favorite earl grey of mine is Mariage Frères Earl Grey Imperial. I’m using this as a baseline of comparison. To me, an earl grey should have that little touch of smokiness. Just a hint. Like a man smoking a pipe in the other room. I don’t find that here.
The tea is good. It’s not great. To me, it’s a bit flat—a little too two dimensional. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I can’t say I’m in love.
I feel the same way.
Do you have a favorite Earl Gray? The best I’ve had so far is from MF.
How does this Earl Grey compare to say David’s Teas Earl Grey?