I'm not sure if this is actually different than plain "Earl Grey." According to the Ahmad US website, "Aromatic Earl Grey has a slightly lower dosage of bergamot when compared to Earl Grey," but the Aromatic Earl Grey is only sold in large containers (454g or 500g) and the largest Earl Grey package is 250g. The UK website seems to make no distinction between the two, with Aromatic Earl Grey listed as one of the sizes available on the Earl Grey page.

The dry tea is composed of uniform, medium sized pieces of very dark, broken leaf. The aroma is potent bergamot. There is actually enough bergamot oil infused into the tea that I can feel the slight oiliness if I rub a little of the dry tea between my fingers.

The liquor is a dark, but clear red-amber. I can smell a little maltiness hiding behind the citrus, but it's otherwise the distinctively sharp lemonish-orangeish aroma of bergamot. The tea is astringent and has a pronounced, but not overpowering bitterness. This is the quintessential Earl Grey and if you think your regular Earl Grey doesn't have enough citrus in the mix, this might be the stuff for you. Similarly, if you're not one for extras like vanilla or lavender, you'll find none of that here. On the other hand, if this one is too citrusy, Ahmad Special Blend seems to have about half the bergamot of the Aromatic Earl Grey.

I buy this in a 500g box with an inner mylar pouch for $9 at a local mom-and-pop Middle Eastern grocery. Ahmad's US site sells a 454g (one pound) box for $13.00. Even at the higher price point, this tea is a steal at less than a dollar an ounce.

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