Earl Grey tea is one of the most recognised teas in the world, yet many people still wonder what is Earl Grey and what makes it different from other black teas.
From its citrus aroma to its long history in British tea culture, Earl Grey has become a global classic enjoyed across continents.
In this complete guide, we will explore what Earl Grey tea is, where it comes from, how it is made, what compounds it contains, and how to brew it correctly. By the end, you will have a clear understanding of Earl Grey beyond just its name and fragrance.
Let us begin.
What Is Earl Grey Tea? The 2 Key Ingredients.
So first off, what is Earl Grey? Earl Grey is a popular type of black tea that has been seasoned with bergamot, a citrus fruit grown primarily in Italy.
Black Tea Leaves
The foundation of Earl Grey tea is black tea. Black tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant that have been fully oxidised. This oxidation process transforms the leaf chemistry, producing darker leaves and deeper flavours.
Black tea contributes structure, body, and warmth to Earl Grey. Depending on the origin, the base tea may carry notes of malt, caramel, wood, or gentle bitterness. These characteristics provide a strong backdrop for the aromatic citrus notes of bergamot.
Most commercial Earl Grey teas use a blend of black teas rather than a single origin, allowing producers to maintain consistency in flavour.
Since all true teas come from the same plant, understanding how teas differ by region is key. If you’re curious about how tea culture evolved beyond black tea, explore our guide to green tea of China and its traditional processing styles.
Bergamot Orange Oil
Bergamot is a citrus fruit that resembles a small orange or lime. It is far more aromatic and sour than common citrus fruits, which makes it unsuitable for eating but ideal for oil extraction.
The essential oil from the bergamot peel is sprayed or infused onto finished black tea leaves. This oil contains aromatic compounds that give Earl Grey its signature bright, floral, and citrus fragrance.
Bergamot oil is widely used in perfumes and aromatherapy, and in Earl Grey tea it plays both a sensory and functional role.
Taste Profile
The flavor of Earl Grey is a sophisticated balance between robust earthiness and bright, aromatic citrus.
The black tea leaves provide a deep, foundational base where you can often detect malty, caramel, or slightly bitter tasting notes.
This creates a rich backdrop for the high-quality bergamot oil to take center stage.
The addition of bergamot oil provides a distinct citrusy lift, but the complexity of the tea goes much further.
Depending on the blend, you may experience a vibrant spectrum of flavors ranging from flowery and fruity top notes to spicy and sour undertones. While the classic profile is known for hints of grapefruit, lemon, and even lavender, it can also possess a deep, bitter quality that anchors the brighter, zesty elements.
Because this flavor profile is so intricate, it deserves a deeper look into how these different taste categories interact.
If you want a full breakdown of the flavor profile, including a visual guide to its various nuances, you’ll want to read our article here 👉What does Earl Grey tea taste like? Discover its flavors with our tasting chart.
The Caffeine Question
Earl Grey can have between 40 - 70mg of caffeine per serving.
This puts it right in the middle of the caffeine spectrum, beneath heavy hitters like gyokuro and matcha, but above mild, low caffeine teas like hojicha and genmaicha.
If you’re curious about where Earl Grey sits on the caffeine spectrum, we’ve compared it against other popular teas in a detailed guide on which tea has the most caffeine.
If you want a deeper breakdown of how caffeine works in Earl Grey tea, including how brewing time and leaf quantity affect stimulation, you can read our complete guide on does Earl Grey have caffeine.
4 Key Compounds Responsible for the Benefits of Earl Grey Tea
The benefits of Earl Grey are as impressive. Because this tea is crafted from black tea leaves infused with bergamot essential oil, it contains a unique profile of antioxidants, caffeine, amino acids, and citrus-derived bioactives.
Let’s examine the four critical components responsible for the health-promoting properties of Earl Grey.
#1 Antioxidants
A significant portion of the health benefits of Earl Grey comes from antioxidants, which are natural compounds that protect your body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals. These unstable molecules are produced both naturally through breathing and exercise, and by external factors like pollution and stress.
Catechins and Polyphenols. While all true teas contain catechins like EGCG, black teas like Earl Grey are also rich in complex polyphenols. These compounds help neutralize oxidative stress, supporting everything from heart health to glowing skin and reducing the risk of chronic conditions linked to inflammation and aging.
Many of these antioxidant mechanisms are shared across tea types. If you want to explore how tea compounds interact with cardiovascular health, you can read our research-backed article on does green tea lowers blood pressure.
#2 Caffeine
The tea leaf is naturally rich in caffeine, which acts as a stimulant by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain to reduce feelings of fatigue. Earl Grey sits in the middle of the caffeine spectrum, providing enough energy to revive you from an afternoon slump without the extreme levels found in coffee.
#3 Amino Acids
Earl Grey contains amino acids, specifically L-theanine, which is often called the "GOAT" of amino acids in the tea world. L-theanine is a building block of protein that can cross the blood-brain barrier to promote a state of "calm focus". It effectively buffers the side effects of caffeine, preventing the jitters and providing a sustained energy recharge.
#4 Bergapten and citrus polyphenols
The defining feature of Earl Grey is the addition of oil from the rind of the bergamot orange. This oil provides more than just flavor; it contains unique compounds like bergapten and citrus polyphenols. These components are responsible for the tea's sensational mood-improving aromatherapy effects and its ability to assist in kicking out bad cholesterol while boosting the immune system.
Prepare Earl Grey Like a Tea Sommelier
Now let’s get brewing. The secret to a perfect Earl Grey lies in the delicate balance between the robust black tea base and the volatile bergamot essential oils.
When hot water hits the leaves, it volatilizes these aromatic compounds, releasing an intense citrus-floral fragrance that should be noticed even before your first sip.
Step-by-Step Sommelier Method
Step 1: The Ideal Temperature
Heat your water to between 90–96°C or 194–205°F. This precise range ensures you fully volatilize the bergamot oils without pulling harsh, bitter tannins from the black tea leaves.
Step 2: The Perfect Ratio
Add 1 teaspoon of high-quality Earl Grey leaves to your teapot for every 1 cup of hot water. This ratio allows the citrus droplets to disperse evenly for a silkier mouthfeel.
Step 3: The Timed Infusion
Allow the tea leaves to brew undisturbed for exactly 3 minutes. Beyond this point, the aromatic citrus compounds begin to take a back seat as the leaves extract too much bitterness.
Step 4: The Evaluation
Pour the tea into your cup and observe the aroma before tasting. A properly brewed Earl Grey should offer a bright citrus lift over a malty, caramel-like base with a clean, lingering finish.
Why Brewing Earl Grey Matters
Because these essential oils do not fully dissolve in water, they disperse into fine droplets that coat the palate, creating a lingering citrus fragrance and a long-lasting aftertaste.
Precision is vital: if your water is too cool, the oils remain trapped, resulting in a muted, flat flavor.
However, if the water is too hot, excessive tannins are extracted from the black tea, creating a bitterness that overpowers the delicate citrus notes.
How is Earl Grey Made?
Earl Grey is a black tea, which means the leaves have been oxidized. This separates it from a green, or unoxidized tea.
Picking
Earl Grey is most often produced as a commodity tea. The finest pickings of leaves are reserved for unscented blends, while the leftover leaves are usually used in blends and teabags. What is a common method for these teas is the CTC or “Cut Tear Curl”.
The CTC (Cut, Tear, Curl) method mechanically breaks black tea leaves into small, uniform particles that brew quickly and produce a strong, brisk base commonly used for mass-market Earl Grey, whereas the orthodox method keeps the leaves largely intact, resulting in a more nuanced tea that allows bergamot’s citrus and floral notes to express themselves more clearly.
Processing
When tea leaves are picked, they begin to turn from green to brown, as the enzymes oxidase and peroxidase convert the polyphenols into theaflavins and thearubigans. During this process, the tea takes on a reddish-brown color and a warmer caramel flavor.
If the producer is making a green tea, he will need to apply heat to the leaves in order to deactivate the enzymes. This allows green teas to lock in their green colors and fresh vegetable aromas.
Drying
After the leaves are fully oxidized, they need to be dried so they can be infused properly. The dried (usually crushed) tea leaves are then packaged and shipped. Once dried and graded, the tea is packaged to protect it from moisture and odors, then shipped to blending facilities where it may later be scented with bergamot oil to become Earl Grey
Flavoring
For Earl Grey, the leaves are scented with bergamot oil, which primarily comes from Italy. This means the tea companies producing Earl Grey tea need to combine finished black tea leaves with bergamot oil in a central location.
Once the leaves have been lightly scented with this oil, they are then packaged into tea leaves to be sold.
If you enjoy exploring tea beyond blends, a great way to experience different styles is through a curated tasting set. You can discover multiple origins and processing styles in our loose leaf green tea sampler.
History of Earl Grey Tea
So, where did Earl Grey tea come from and, more importantly, which “Earl” was it named after.
We’ll tackle both the myth and the more accurate historical account of Earl Grey as it started to take over the world.
The legend of Earl Grey
It was named after Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey (1764–1845), who served as the British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834, but now it is enjoyed by people all around the world. According to popular legend, the tea was created after a Chinese mandarin gifted Earl Grey a bergamot-scented tea as a gesture of gratitude, sometimes said to be for saving his son’s life.
However, historians question this story, as bergamot was not traditionally used in Chinese tea and there is no clear record that Earl Grey ever visited China, suggesting the blend was more likely developed later by British tea merchants.
A more accurate story
In the early 1800s, tea was primarily imported from China to Britain, and it was flavored with spices and fruits to mask inconsistencies in the tea. By the late 1800’s, Bergamot emerged as a standout, and British tea companies standardized its use in Earl Grey.
By the mid 20th century, it was beginning to be exported internationally, becoming a staple in Europe and North America. Now it has become one of the most recognizable teas in the world, with variations such as Lady Grey (with lavender flowers) and Earl Green (with green tea instead of black tea).
Earl Grey Matcha Latte
Earl Grey came on our radar recently, not as a tea, but as a latte. We noticed people were using our matcha powder to create Earl Grey matcha lattes. I was skeptical at first, but this is actually an incredible flavor pairing.
If you’re wondering why matcha works so well in an Earl Grey latte, it helps to understand its energy profile. We break this down fully in our article on does matcha give you energy. If you plan to make an Earl Grey matcha latte at home, using a proper bamboo whisk helps create a smoother texture and better foam. You can find a traditional matcha whisk here.
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Drink Earl Grey Tea
Whether you are enjoying this tea in a latte or as an afternoon cup it has a bright and sunny flavor that has won over millions around the globe.
It has a moderate caffeine content, so you shouldn’t drink it right before bed, but the morning and early afternoon should be fine unless you are very sensitive to caffeine.
If you enjoy Earl Grey but want something less aromatic and more mineral driven, you may enjoy trying a lightly oxidised tea like Miyazaki oolong.
Final Thoughts On Earl Grey Tea
So, what is Earl Grey at its core?
Earl Grey tea is a carefully crafted blend of oxidised black tea leaves and aromatic bergamot oil. Its balance of structure, aroma, and versatility has allowed Earl Grey to remain popular for centuries.
With its bright citrus profile and moderate stimulation, Earl Grey tea continues to be enjoyed around the world, whether brewed traditionally, served with milk, or incorporated into modern recipes.
For those who enjoy discovering tea through guided tasting experiences, our Japanese tea samplers offer an easy way to explore a wide range of traditional teas side by side.
If you want to pick up some matcha to make your own Earl Grey matcha latte at home, you can find them all on our website nioteas.com.
