Different types of earl grey teas?

[nemesis256]

Is there much of a difference between earl grey teas? Adagio has earl grey bravo, and on another online store I've seen earl grey supreme. They both have a description of being citrus in flavor. Are they almost the same?

[kymidwife]

As I understand it, all Earl Grey teas contain Bergamot flavor, usually imparted by the oil of the bergamot rind. Bergamot is a citrus fruit. So, theoretically, all Earl Grey teas should have a citrus quality.

There are some variations out there under various names, which mostly seem to involve the amount of bergamot (Upton has an "Extra Bergamot Earl Grey"), or perhaps the quality of the base leaf. I have also seen some variations which included other flavors... I have some Lavendar Earl Grey which makes a great aromatic cup if you enjoy lavendar. Not something I drink often at all, but it was interesting to try.

Hope that helps.

Sarah

[Cinnamon Kitty]

As kymidwife pointed out, all Earl Grey has a Bergamot flavor. The potency of the flavor and the type of tea used may vary from vendor to vendor though. Some vendors have the typical black tea based Earl Grey while others have ones with rooibos or green tea as a base. Others blend the Earl Grey with herbs like lavender, or add extra flavors like cream or jasmine. Even with two similar Earl Grey, like both with the same type of the tea as the base, there might be a different in flavor and aroma.

So if you like Earl Grey, your best bet is to try a variety of different ones to find what you like best. My current favorite is the Earl Grey White Tip from TeaSource.