When you have lemons, make lemonade? That seems to have happened here. While not overpowering, the distinct aroma of lemon wafted rather aggressively out of the pouch when I tore it open, and that scent stayed in the dry bag strongly until pouring the hot water through it. The in-cup smell was more balanced, but the lemon was at least as strong as the bergamot. Only in taste and aftertaste did bergamot become more present than lemon, albeit barely in direct flavor. The aftertaste was noticeably bitter and had the most bergamot of any sensation at any point in the experience. The base tea was nothing special, in either a good or bad way; curiously, I could detect it best when sniffing the used wet bag. At that point, all the citrus seemed to have leached out.

I felt a little duped. Had I paid separately for a package of this tea instead of taking off a breakfast rack in a vacation lodge, I would have returned it to the store. The product isn't bad (though I've had better, for sure!), but the label should say "Earl Grey with Lemon" for full disclosure. Earl Grey fans who add lemon juice, as my wife does, may like this tea better, especially as a travel tea to pull out when lemons or juice aren't readily available.

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