The most popular tea blend in the western world derives its name from the second Earl Charles Grey, who was the Prime Minister of England in the early 19th century. According to one legend, the uniquely flavored tea was originally given to Earl Grey as a gift from a member of the Chinese government to thank one of the Earl's men for saving his son. Lord Grey enjoyed the tea so much that he gave the recipe to his tea merchants, who duplicated and distributed "Earl Grey's Tea" around the world.
Earl Grey tea derives its distinctive taste from the oil of bergamot. This highly aromatic oil is made from the rind of the fruit of the Citrus bergamia - a small tree found predominantly in southern Italy. The flavor of a truly fine Earl Grey tea is dependent on the quality of the base tea as well as the quality and amount of oil used. We use only high quality tealeaves as the base for our Earl Grey teas.
