Ministry of Tea Earl Grey Tea Review
It’s always a good week when I have the chance to review a new Earl Grey! This is Ministry of Tea Earl Grey, in teabag format, and I am very excited to test it out. Ministry of Tea has been on my radar for quite a while, ever since I discovered their chai spiced hot cross bun recipe on Instagram (it was an amazing success) and I like to explore a new brand by starting with a tea I am familiar with.
My first ever tea review published on this blog was an Earl Grey, after all.
In this review, I’ll cover what you can expect from the flavour of this tea, the best way to brew it, and where it’s available to buy.
Ministry of Tea Earl Grey at a Glance
Izzy's Rating
3.1/5
- Blend: Organic black tea with natural bergamot flavouring
- Flavour: Gentle earl grey with subtle bergamot and a solid black tea base
This earl grey is really simple and can be brewed without fuss. The bergamot flavouring is light and the black tea can be consumed without milk or with milk. I won’t have any trouble finishing the box!
Full Review – Earl Grey by Ministry of Tea
Izzy's Rating
3.1/5
- Type: Individually wrapped tagged paper teabags
- Tea: Organic Indian black tea
- Additives: Natural bergamot flavouring
- Flavour Notes: Slightly bitter, tannins, black tea, gentle, light bergamot
- Aroma: Subtle bergamot, robust black tea
- Milk or Lemon: Either
- Where to Buy: Ministry of Tea Website or Amazon UK
Ripping open the slightly shiny paper teabag wrapper, you’re met with a subtle bergamot aroma. It’s not super strong like some artificial flavourings are. The black tea is smooth and gentle too, with light tannin notes. At this point, it seems pretty good with no surprises.
It brews into a very dark brown tea quite quickly, regardless of how long you steep it for. I like that it’s super clear though – no tea dust in the bottom of my cup. The aroma coming from the brewed tea is more robust, with stronger black tea notes and mild bergamot flavouring. I personally like my bergamot quite strong, but this tea seems quite light on the citrusy notes.
As for the flavour. Mmmmm. So good. It’s a really basic and simple earl grey, which just makes it so satisfying to slurp down from a good mug. This isn’t a teacup and saucer kind of tea. Forget the dainty sandwiches. This is the robust and tasty earl grey you can brew early in the morning or on your tea break.
When you take that first sip, you get a good tea flavour and subtle bergamot notes sweeping in afterwards. I like that it is hydrating in your mouth at first, but becomes slightly drying in the aftertaste.
How to Brew Earl Grey Teabags
To brew Ministry of Tea Earl Grey, fill your kettle with fresh water. Bring it to the boil, then pour about 200ml – 250ml of water into your mug, over the earl grey teabag.
If you like to drink earl grey black, brew for 3 minutes. If you like milk in your earl grey, brew for 5 minutes or more. It sounds like a long time, but you really want the black tea flavours to intensify and develop enough.
Some earl grey teas taste really nice with a slice of lemon instead of milk (see my Best Earl Grey Tea List), but I prefer this specific blend black or milky instead. Serve it with cake, biscuits, sandwiches, or whatever else you’ve got on the menu.
Why Ministry of Tea?
Ministry of Tea are all about creating great teas with organic and high-quality ingredients. The bergamot flavouring in this tea is natural – real bergamot oils are quite pricey, so that’s why many earl grey teas use flavouring instead. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the flavouring won’t taste great.
The Indian black tea is organic too and the box has the USDA Organic stamp on it (even though they are a British brand) which I love. Did you know that 40% of the world’s certified organic farmers operate in India, according to USDA? Even though the actual quality of the tea is poor, as you can see in my photo, the fact that it’s organic says a lot about how it was initially grown.
Summary
This tea is quite pleasant and although the leaf quality is a poor grade, the flavour is great and the organic status really makes it stand out. I will have no trouble finishing my box of Ministry of Tea Earl Grey. You can find it on Ministry of Tea’s official website or on Amazon UK.
Tea Recommendation
A good earl grey like this one is a beautiful balance between warm/rich and bright/refreshing. Another tea that fits the bill perfectly is Pure Leaf Turmeric with Citrus. This blend is one of my favourites and it’s caffeine-free so you can enjoy a cup in the evenings.