Chocolate Earl Grey

How am I the first to write a tasting note for this one?!? Another from Octavia Tea… thanks so much! I was intrigued by this one and for good reason. I have no idea how bergamot works so well with chocolate, but it just does. Maybe it’s like those chocolate oranges. They seem like an odd combination, but they work. There are so many chocolate chips in the blend… BIG chocolate chips. Also plenty of rose petals. So not a lot of room for the black tea leaves, at least in my sample. For that reason the color of the brew looks more like a milk chocolate than a dark chocolate but the flavor is divine. Plenty of that chocolate melted. But there is also a lovely bergamot, sweet, that pairs very well with the chocolate. Basically the perfect type of bergamot that will work with chocolate. I’m not tasting very much rose from the petals, but it’s fine with me if I’m tasting mostly bergamot and chocolate. Also included is some carob, that gives it that extra level of flavor, a nice tang of bittersweet. I like that the base tea is Chinese black tea… if I had to say which base is most like chocolate on its own, I would say a Chinese black. So it’s a good choice here. All of the ingredients really compliment each other. The second cup was just as delicious, probably allowing the chocolate chips to melt the rest of the way. If you like Lupicia’s Earl Grey Chocolat, you’d probably like this. (Incidentally, to make sure I had the name correct on the Lupicia, I noticed I also gave that tea a rating of 94.) This cup is quite the indulgence, absolutely delicious, a dainty appreciative slow sipper. A favorite from Octavia, definitely.
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a full mug // 19 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4-5 minute steep