Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Stash Tea's Double Bergamot Earl Grey

For this week's review, I decided to pick a tea that was more readily available to a larger audience, would not be a significant investment, and yet still maintained good flavors for an enjoyable cup. As we have recently talked about my enjoyment of Earl Grey and Earl Grey variations, I would like to present to you Stash's Double Bergamot Earl Grey.

Like many black teas, the recommendation for steeping is three to five minutes, using just-boiled water. Since I am reviewing the bagged version of this tea, there is no need for measuring - just use one bag per eight ounces of water. If you are using more than eight ounces of water (such as a twelve ounce mug), I recommend steeping for an extra minute. In this case, I pour eight ounces of just-boiled water over the tea bag and wait for four minutes to see what results!

In the past, I have found that (even for not utilizing the special pyramid-shaped sachets) - Stash maintains some of the highest-quality bagged tea in the industry. The aroma of the Double Bergamot Earl Grey reminds me that, yes, this double the normal amount of bergamot oil. The scents are strong, sharp, not unpleasant, but definitely intense. One might describe it as being a bit perfume-y, which can be a bad thing with some flavored teas. Yet because of what Earl Grey is - a black tea with citrus oils - I think that it fits perfectly. Flavor-wise, the extra bergamot also reveals itself. A four-minute steep produced a cup that gives me a lot of citrus flavor, not an overwhelming amount of black tea flavor (something I have found can happen in Earl Grey, when the creators try to balance the bergamot and black tea), and a smooth sip. The flavors are very forward without being overwhelming, astringent, or harsh. I find this cup to have a very clean mouthfeel. The aftertaste feels light in my mouth. The only flavors that really linger are some bergamot notes.

If your favorite part of Earl Grey is the citrusy flavors from the oil of the bergamot orange, this tea is for you. I also recommend it for those, who are seeking a bit more kick to their cup of Earl Grey. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea an 88/100.

Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Stash Tea's Double Bergamot Earl Grey is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2015, Built from Ink and Tea.