In fact, Earl Grey is not a kind of tea, it is just black tea with the flavor of bergamot infused through it. Almost any black tea can be used to make it, in fact, quite often it is used to disguise cheaper grades of tea as bergamot has such a strong flavoring. Usually drunk black with perhaps some lemon added, Earl Grey is the most popular flavoured tea in the world.

Origin of Earl Grey

Earl Charles Grey was the Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1830. The story is that while on a diplomatic trip to China, he saved the life of a mandarin. To show his gratitude, the mandarin gifted Earl Grey a special tea, which the Prime Minister took back to England with him. The tea quickly became a favorite in the Earls drawing room, and he asked his personal tea supplier to reproduce the same flavor for him. The new tea became fashionable and eventually spread throughout England and the rest of the world.

In fact, this story is probably not even slightly true! The Earl never visited China, and at least two different tea suppliers claim to be the original makers of the tea; which means that to this day the enigma is still not solved.

What is Bergamot

On the south coast of Italy, a citrus tree is cultivated. Bergamot is also called the Princes Pear, and is a mix of lemon, grapefruit and orange. Although the fruit is inedible, the oil is very valuable and used in perfumery as well as to flavor tea. The original Eau de Cologne contains extract of bergamot, the scent of which is similar to orange blossom.

The extraction process is very particular: fruit is hand picked in the winter and the essence is crushed out of the bergamot fruit using cold presses purpose built for the process. The oil must be kept in storage for a year or more before it is used. Among its health-giving properties, bergamot is reputed to ease depression, stave off colds and flu, and aid digestion. The oil is used in aromatherapy; perhaps a cup of Earl Grey will help keep you healthy as well as taste delicious!

Lady Grey Tea

Popular consensus in the time of Earl Grey held that tea made women over-excitable, causing impropriety in the female temperament. Orange, lemon and bergamot were added to tea to calm these impulses, and Lady Grey tea was invented. Today many people still enjoy the taste; not limited to female drinkers!