Creamy Earl Grey

AND…FINALLY…I’m all caught up on my backlogs…again, so sorry! I’m just finishing a bit of this…actually I’m on my 2nd cuppa. I do enjoy this one from Fashionista! I think I will add a few points to my previous rating :)

Also good cold!

Backlog:

I think I happened to see a forums discussion about creamy earl grey teas and a good replacement for the SpecialTeas product which is now long gone. This is one I’d recommend to you! This is a really, really good creamy Earl Grey.

Delicious creamy overtone, nice subdued bergamot (curbed by the sweet vanilla-y notes), but still a deliciously full-flavored cuppa.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/04/29/organic-creamy-earl-grey-black-tea-from-fashionista-tea/

My first order from Fashionista Tea! I love how this tea smelled dry – creamy, earl grey, delicious. I was super excited waiting for this to steep.

Brewed, it is not nearly as creamy/vanilla-tasting as I would have expected given the smell. However, it’s still delicious.

I can’t help not comparing this to New Mexico Tea company’s Cream Earl Grey, and my memory said I preferred NM’s. So for science, I brewed the two teas together and did a taste test. And I can say I like them both. If I had to chose, I’d say I like Fashionista Tea’s more. It’s smoother, and while less creamy, also doesn’t have the artificial undertaste that I never noticed from NM’s before.

The smell of the dry leaf is strong with bergamot and finishes with cream. The taste when brewed is creamy and floral with a slight hint of pepper. This is a great, smooth and flavorful tea.

Bullet Hell is an insane genre of game, and I feel no shame in admitting that it is really hard. I know I spend a lot of time talking about my love of Minecraft, but before there was Minecraft, there was Bullet Hell. I have been playing Shoot em Up style games since the days of Gradius, and it makes so much sense that by brain would love the fast paced and usually very colorful style of Bullet Hell games. I haven’t played one in a while, but the new Geometry Wars game recently came out and after seeing Dusty play it, the old itch popped back up and I had to have some fun. I popped on the game Frantic 2 and am having myself a grand time.

It is a bit of a meme among gamers that we consume monstrous amounts of caffeine to keep ourselves alert for hours of gaming, and Fashionista Tea’s Organic Creamy Earl Grey could very easily fit the bill, well assuming you drink a lot of it. This is a typical Earl Grey with a creamy twist, my personal favorite way to have an earl. The aroma a nice blend of malt, creamy vanilla sweetness, and a nice bright bergamot kick at the finish. Luckily it is not a kick in the face, more of a nice zingy wake up smell rather than smelling salts like bergamot can be at times.

Brewing up the tea brings out more of the bergamot and balances it out with the rich and creamy vanilla note, there is still a malty note as well, but it is playing second fiddle to the other two more dominant smells. Must be because the malty notes are having a solo in the liquid without the leaves! It is malty and bright with a sweet vanilla undertone and a nice wisp of bergamot at the finish.

So, on the bergamot scale, this tea is definitely in the middle, not too strong and not too weak, in my opinion this polite bergamot is the perfect level of citrus zinginess. There is of course a rich and creamy sweet vanilla note with a touch of cocoa, a bit of malt, and just the tiniest hint of oak wood. The vanilla lingers long after the sip has finished, giving this tea just a hint of a dessert quality. I certainly liked it, I am not the biggest Earl Grey fan (I am pretty sure that is my boyfriend actually, such an earl snob he is!) but I can appreciate one that blends the flavors, adds that extra bit of sweetness, and does not kill me with a citrus bomb to the face.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/11/fashionista-tea-organic-creamy-earl.html