Choose the Best Earl Grey Tea for You

What is earl grey tea?

Earl Grey is a traditional classic tea blend scented with the essential oil extracted from the peel of bergamot orange. Interestingly, unlike other citrus tea blends, it only contains the essential oil, never the actual fruit. Why? Fruit is actually bitter and sour and the perfect bergamot scent always comes from the peel. Earl Grey was invented by Charles Grey, the British Prime Minister about 200 years ago. Since then, it won many hearts around the world, and became one of the most popular tea blends ever. Traditional Earl Grey is a scented blend – because it can be blended with different black teas. It rarely contains only one single origin black tea.

Best Earl Grey Tea Flavors

1. Traditional Earl Grey

Traditional Earl Grey is the “simplest” type of Earl Grey tea. It will usually contain only black tea leaves and bergamot essential oil. However, other ingredients may be added too, as long as they don’t have an impact on the flavor. Traditional loose leaf Earl Grey is usually strong on bergamot and may contain safflower petals or blue mallow petals.

Simple Earl Grey tea

2. Lady Grey

Lady Grey is a gentler, more sophisticated take on the traditional Earl Grey. It has a weaker bergamot flavor, and usually an addition of other ingredients such as flower or citruses that will influence the flavor. There are many types of Lady Grey teas, and they will all have a different flavor

Blue Lady Grey tea with lavender flowers

3. Green Earl Grey

Green Earl Grey is a green tea scented with bergamot essential oil. It has a fresher, greener flavor and is a great choice for those who want to enjoy the benefits of green tea and love bergamot flavor.

4. Smoky Earl Grey

Smoky Earl Grey is another interesting twist on this traditional tea. It is blended using lapsang souchong tea with an intense smoked flavor. Expect a stronger, more aromatic cup. However, this tea may not be everyone’s cup. Choose only if you like both lapsang souchong and bergamot flavor.

5. Rooibos Earl Grey

Rooibos Earl Grey is a herbal type of Earl Grey tea. It’s made using a South African red bush tea as a base. Red bush tea has an intense, slightly sweet and earthy flavor that blends well with both citrusy and spicy notes. This tea is caffeine free and can be enjoyed with or without milk.

6. Honeybush Earl Grey

Honeybush Earl Grey is one more type of earl grey herbal tea made with a caffeine free honeybush tea base. This herbal tea is similar to rooibos, but it has a milder, less earthy and more sweet flavor.

Herbal Grey tea with honey bush

7. Oolong Earl Grey

Oolong Earl Grey is a bergamot scented oolong tea. It’s a newer type of earl grey blend. Just like the oolong tea category itself, oolong earl grey category is very wide too. Different types can be used for scenting with bergamot, resulting in different flavors – from milder and green to heavier and toasty.

8. White Earl Grey

Yes, white tea can be scented with bergamot too! In fact, many white teas are perfect for scenting with this mesmerizing essential oil. Both Silver Needle and White Peony Earl Grey teas are available, and they will usually be light, refreshing and gentle.

9. Russian Earl Grey

Except the recognizable bergamot flavor, Russian Earl Grey is rich in other citrus notes too. In fact, many black tea blends in Russia contain citruses such as lemon and orange and lemongrass. This type is the most refreshing of all black earl grey types.

10. Rose Earl Grey

Rose black tea is one of the first, simplest and most delightful tea blends in the world. Usually, rose petals are blended with teas like Assam, Orange Pekoe, or Keemun. Rose Earl Grey is similar to the traditional earl grey, but expect both bergamot and rose notes to be more delicate than in the traditional blends.

11. Lavender Earl Grey

Lavender is one of the best flavors to add to a spicy and citrusy bergamot. Gentle and calming lavender notes blend very well with relaxing bergamot. Lavender Earl Grey teas tend to be lighter on bergamot and have just the right amount of lavender.

12. Creamy Earl Grey

Creamy Earl Grey tea can be made with black or herbal tea and includes one delicious ingredient – vanilla. Vanilla will add more sweetness to the blend and make it creamier and less astringent. This tea is perfect for drinking with milk.

13. London Fog Tea

The only tea on the list that doesn’t have the words “earl grey” is, in fact, not a tea blend, but a drink made with earl grey tea, a choice of milk and vanilla syrup. Originally it was made with regular milk and a traditional black earl grey tea. The other name? Earl Grey tea latte.

Are there more Earl Grey tea flavors?

Surprised to see so many Earl Grey tea flavors? There is more. Every tea scented with bergamot orange essential oil is technically an earl grey tea. On the other hand, there is not one single tea blend in this world scented with bergamot essential oil that would have any other name except – earl grey or grey tea. Whichever earl grey tea you choose, you can rest assured it will have at least light bergamot note. Learn more about earl grey tea:

• Does Earl Grey Tea Have Caffeine?
• Everything About Earl Grey Tea
• Earl Grey Tea vs Green Tea Benefits
• English Breakfast vs Earl Grey Tea: What’s the Difference? 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It’s not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Every person is different and may react to different herbs and teas differently. Never use teas or herbs to treat serious medical conditions on your own. Always seek professional medical advice before choosing home remedies.