Let’s address the big grey beast in the room: what I’m reviewing here is the teabag version. It’s neither the version that Chanui intended, nor the version I prefer to drink.
I’m of the opinion that loose leaf is exactly as easy as teabag, if you’ve got a steepy thingy that fits in your cup. It’s even easier if you’re brewing for a group, because you just throw a handful of leaves in a pot. You don’t have to set out a little baggy in each cup then dutifully dispose of each one after the requisite two minutes.
Well, three to four minutes in this case, which is the suggested time on the box. This is a little on the long side for an Earl Grey suggestion, but it the correct amount of time for steeping. You see, there’s a conspiracy in the world of consumer tea bags, where Big Tea wants you to believe the fantasy that your brew can always be ready to go in 120 seconds or, god forbid, a single minute.
That might fly with a hefty dose of a bold CTC, or if you’re the kind of deviant who likes your tea to be a lightly-coloured cup of hot water. But it will not fly here.
Bergamot. That’s what Earl Grey has got, that other teas do not have. This oil is extracted from southern Italian oranges and infused with Sri Lankan tea, then sold to Commonwealth citizens the world over. You can smell the colonial disdain wafting off as it steeps for three to four minutes. Which is the correct amount of time to gently coax the bergamot oil out of the leaves and into your cup.
Back to the bags, though. Some people in my household and immediate professional circle insist they are preferable. And so, I have them on hand at this time when I feel the urge to write about New Zealand’s Earl Grey.
So what do I get from these little bags of imperial spirit? A great mid-range tea. Flavoursome. Best enjoyed with a little milk. Bonus points for biodegradable teabags. In a word: delightful. Three stars.
