Earl Grey

This page is for the caffeinated version. See also Earl Grey Decaffeinated Black Tea.

17
Percentile
22 ratings
Picture of Earl Grey
Brand:Bigelow Tea
Style:Earl Grey Tea
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Region:Blend
Loose/teabag:Teabag
Product page:Earl Grey - Buy on Amazon*

This tea's info last updated: Nov. 18, 2022

Commercial Description

A really fine cup of tea is one of life's true pleasures. We heartily recommend Earl Grey for the enjoyment it will bring to your tea drinking. This delicately scented, aristocratic blend is an international favorite.

* Amazon links are sponsored and help support RateTea financially.

Ratings & Reviews

Page 1 2 3 of 3 pages with 22 reviews

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Reviewer pic70 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
(45 reviews) on

This is tea from a tea bag, so right from the start, we're not dealing with the best quality. But, this sort of tea isn't for having a gourmet experience. If it were, they wouldn't sell it for a few dollars at the local supermarket. It's a daily tea. On that level, it does fine.

The flavor profile is different from Twining's Earl Grey (caffeinated). Let me compare the two since they're often sold side-by-side.

Bigelow's Earl Grey is more earthy and linear in its tea flavor. It's really not complex. The bergamot flavor is also very pointed and strong -- which means that I've felt more satisfied having it with honey alone, rather than the typical Earl Grey + honey + lemon combination.

Twining's is more woody and less earthy in its tea flavor, by comparison. The tea flavor is more diffused in terms of its notes. It's less linear, a tad more complex. The bergamot note with the Twining's is less pointed and much less strong. It's more diffused, as well. But, again, there's a bit more dimension to it. That said, it's not nearly as strong, meaning that it feels like something is missing when I only have it with honey.

I was never in the habit of drinking Bigelow brand. This was the first time I gave it a try. It's definitely a different experience, but I like it. It's not a gourmet tea, as I said. But, it's not meant to be. This is a different class of teas -- the buy-it-in-the-supermarket, daily drinker, don't-break-your-wallet variety. With that in mind, I think it's pretty good. I like the juxtaposition of the bergamot and the earthy tea notes. The contrast is stimulating and refreshing. I'm glad I gave it a try.
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Reviewer pic55 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 4/5
(11 reviews) on

This was one of the few Earl grey brands I’ve tried that managed to disappoint me. Not much to say about the flavor or scent.
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Reviewer pic63 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
(170 reviews) on

The dry tea smells strongly of bergamot. There's no hint of other flavors, citrus or otherwise, that other brands sometimes add.

Adding water really doesn't change much. I smell bergamot and a weak hint of dry leaves. The flavor's more balanced than I would have expected, though. The underlying black tea is mellow, with a mild bitterness and some astringency. The malt hides behind the bergamot, but it's there if you look for it. I've guessed that the base tea for most of Bigelow's flavors is their English Teatime blend and this tea reinforces that. The base tea is pleasant, but one-dimensional. Flavoring the tea, in this case with bergamot, adds enough depth to make the tea enjoyable.

When I want Earl Grey, I like Bigelow and I find the flavor relaxing. Perhaps oddly, I tend to be disappointed by more expensive Earl Greys because the bergamot competes with the tea's own flavors. I don't have that problem with Bigelow. I enjoy the combination of flavors without feeling like I'm wasting money on tea that I can't taste.
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Reviewer pic75 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
(3 reviews) on

This Earl Grey Tea is one of my favorites. I *never* steep this tea for more than 2-2.5 minutes. I like the fact that it takes less time to steep than other brands and I still get the caffeine and taste that I expect from Earl Grey.

However it isnt overly caffeinated, but this is another reason I like it. Sometimes I want 2-3 of cups of tea during the day. With other brands, such as Numi Earl Grey, if i drank that much tea I wouldnt be able to sleep.

The value of this tea is all there. You get the flavor you expect. You get a fair amount of caffeine. The balance is right.
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Reviewer pic35 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 3/5
(3 reviews) on

This tea isn't really the best, honestly. While compared to stronger earl greys such as twinnings, it just...doesn't cut it. If you're used to drinking stronger teas, you may want to actually brew longer or even add another bag. The citrus taste also felt weird and unnatural, not really blending well with the other flavors in the Tea.

If you're looking to get some Earl Grey and save money, I highly suggest you just get Twinnings. This isn't worth the difference in price.
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Reviewer pic80 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5
(3 reviews) on

One of my favorite teas. Love the aroma, and the flavor is great!
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Reviewer pic57 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 3/5
(379 reviews) on

As Earl Greys go, this is about average. Decent, but somewhat flat. Bigelow seems to pride themselves on black-tea quality, and their other flavored teas seem to back up such sentiment.

This, however, is a tea that smells far stronger and better in its packaging than it brews out. The bergamot seems muted, understated, as if it spends too long in shipping or storage before being incorporated into the tea.

This tastes like a somewhat old tea that has been shelved in plain-paper wrapping too long--except that this is packaged in the same air-sealed wrapping as the rest of their bagged teas. I'll drink it in the absence of better alternatives, but fortunately, better EGs (e.g., Stash Double Bergamot, Celestial, or Ahmad) are fairly easily available online.
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Reviewer pic67 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
(58 reviews) on

This might be my favorite among the Bigelow teas I've tried for its combination of caffeine and taste. But having tried Ahmad Tea's Earl Grey loose leaf first, I have trouble calling this one a particularly good version of the blend. It delivers a kick with a smooth, interesting taste, but it's not going to be my go-to brand of choice for this type of tea.
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Reviewer pic100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
(2 reviews) on

This an excellent steep! I feel you get a 5 star Earl Grey product for the price of a 3 star product and thats why I give this tea a perfect rating. Cheap, amazing in both flavor and aroma, and a overall great tea.
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Reviewer pic67 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
(333 reviews) on

Considering that I'm not often crazy about Earl Grey, I was pleasantly surprised by this tea. I managed to not overbrew it, and so I found it fairly smooth. I can distinctly taste the bergamot, which I like. It's true that it isn't a particularly complex tea, but with a bit of creamer it's a perfectly respectable way to get a decent caffeine jolt, I think.
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Page 1 2 3 of 3 pages with 22 reviews

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