I had tried and liked Dean & Deluca’s regular Earl Grey tea so I was excited when I saw this Earl Grey Extra blend at a very good price in their store. I regularly drink a lot of Earl Grey from several different companies. I don’t discriminate. If it’s good, I’ll drink it.
When I opened the trademark Dean & Deluca’s metal tin, the unbrewed dark tea leaves had a potent bergamot aroma. I also immediately saw the Blue Mallow flowers that were peppered generously throughout the leaves.
I followed the Dean & Deluca brewing instructions and steeped the leaves for three minutes at 212 degrees. The finished liquor was a rich gold color. I could smell the bergamot in my cup with something…wait for it…EXTRA!
The overwhelming flavor in this tea is bergamot, but, not in a bad way. The attribute is clear, smooth, and astringency free. I assume the “extra” flavor is from the Blue Mallow flowers since I would characterize this feature as flowery, but, again, not in a bad way. I’ve never been crazy about flowery-tasting teas. In this case, though, the flowery taste compliments the bergamot perfectly and is not overbearing.
I thoroughly enjoyed my entire morning pot of this tea. The aftertaste from four cups was amazingly light and airy. I have just one complaint about it: This product seems to be NO LONGER AVAILABLE!
Flavors: Bergamot, Flowers