I've drunk Tazo's Earl Grey in flat tea bags (what they now call "filterbags") a number of times, and only now tried the newer full-leaf version, part of my attempt to sample all of Tazo's full leaf teas before Starbucks switches to serving only Teavana.

The aroma is fresh and light, and oddly pervasive. This is a tea that I can smell almost from across the room...if I set down the cup, and then walk back to it, I notice the smell of bergamot from quite a distance. The bergamot is slightly perfumey, in a pleasant way.

Brews up a rich, dark color. Flavor is slightly brisk, but also with depth and warmth, and quite smooth. Little astringency relative to how strong it is. Very balanced.

The sachet is filled with a generous amount of leaf. I recommend being careful with steeping: there's so much leaf that it can easily become too strong if you steep too long. I recommend 1-2 minutes, which allows you to brew a second, flavorful cup.

The second cup was just as strong as the first (steeping about 3 minutes), and had a more bready aroma, with a weaker bergamot presence.

Like all of Tazo's offerings, I think this one was improved significantly in the change to full leaf. I definitely recommend checking this one out if you like Earl Grey, even if you didn't like the old version. It's almost like a completely new tea, much less bitter and easier to enjoy.

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