Approaching this with some trepidation, this is a “Yunnan black tea and bergamont.” It says it’s an Earl Grey, which I like in general but don’t love.
The bergamont is quite weak, which can be good if you’re not a huge fan. I’d say it’s just a hint, but on the upside, it lets the good quality Yunnan base shine through. It does taste like a good quality cup of Yunnan with a hint of bergamont. If you are looking for a proper, bracing Earl Grey, this is definitely not it.
Since I haven’t been having the best experience with this brand, I’ve been steeping each bag exactly according to instructions. This was 200F at 4 minutes, but I still felt it was a bit weak, so I let it go to 5 minutes.
This is my 5th or 6th Palais des Thes, and I’ve had two experiences thus far:
1. Is this just hot water?
2. This isn’t bad, but I’ve tasted it a million times before.
I have yet to taste anything I’d repurchase at even half their asking price. To be fair, I’m living in the US so EU prices can sometimes be ridiculously inflated. Luckily, for me, the fun part of this hobby is trying all sorts of new teas from all over the world, even if they’re not all smashing successes. This one gets points for the good quality Yunnan and actually tasting of tea, unlike its other Palais des Thes comrades I have encountered. If you are looking to burn money on an Earl Grey with minimum bergamont (why?), this would be a contender.
Flavors: Bergamot
