80
drank SBT: Earl Grey by 52teas
2238 tasting notes

I approached this one with a little trepidation, as earl grey isn’t always my favourite thing these days. Sometimes it’s just too floral and bergamot-y, and it gives me a headache. I should have known that I could trust Frank, though, because this one is perfect. I gave the bag the usual three minutes in boiling water, by which point it was looking quite dark. It certainly smells quite strongly when you first open the bag, but it translates into a quite delicate tea. I’m glad of this – I want my iced teas to be refreshing rather than in my face. At the same time, though, I like to be able to identify what I’m drinking. This one strikes the perfect balance. The black base is smooth and solid as ever, and the delicate citrusy flavour of bergamot seems to float on the surface. There’s a slight floral note to the aftertaste, and something of a candy-like creaminess as well – it’s certainly not harsh in the way that some EGs can be. I could happily drink this all day. In fact, that’s more or less exactly what I will be doing. It’s supposed to be hot here again, and I’ve got 300 shipping invoices to enter on DHL, so I’ve hardly an excuse to leave my desk. Good thing my tea is close at hand, then!

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
ashmanra

I really liked this. I thought I picked up a grape Kool-Aid or candy flavor. I don’t like harsh bergamot, so that was nice. I want more of this one!

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ashmanra

I really liked this. I thought I picked up a grape Kool-Aid or candy flavor. I don’t like harsh bergamot, so that was nice. I want more of this one!

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Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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