If aroma is what you do, Earl Grey is what you brew

When it comes to popular teas, Earl Grey certainly belongs to one of the world’s most well-loved flavors. And the stress here is on flavor. Earl Grey is not a kind of tea at all, but of a blend of course, a mix of plain black Indian and Ceylon teas and bergamot oil.

Bergamot is what gives this popular mix its distinctive citrus-like flavor, varying slightly in intensity from brand to brand, but always giving Earl Grey that refreshing, tart, ever so slightly metallic and characteristic “perfumed” taste.

Bergamot is not a spice in the usual sense of the word, but a small, somewhat acidic tasting orange. And researchers have discovered that the Bergamot orange is actually a fine blend itself, a cross between the so-called pear lemon (Citrus Limetta) and the sour orange of Seville Spain (Citrus Aurantium).

Named after the second Earl Charles Grey of Britain back in the 1830s, a prime minister from 1830 to 1834, legend has it that he was given the recipe for Earl Grey by a Chinese mandarin whose life he had saved. Proof is scarce here, of course, but it certainly makes for an interesting story. It is true however, that the Spanish sour orange parent of the Bergamot orange is actually native to southern Vietnam, hence the Chinese connection to the story about the Earl’s recipe.

A real favorite in Great Britain and North America, Earl Grey’s interesting bergamot blend of Indian and Ceylon teas has, if anything, continued to gain in popularity over the years. Originally, Earl Grey was applied only to black tea sorts but today the term has also been carried over to green teas, oolong and even roibos, all of which still contain bergamot oil. Due to the distinctive nature of this famous blend, Earl Grey has also been given the title of “old stinky” in England, lovingly of course.

Popularity: 5% [?]