Twinings Lady Grey Tea Review
It’s finally happening! I’ve been talking about reviewing Twinings Lady Grey on the blog for years now. Since my first ever tea review, Twinings Earl Grey, I’ve been eager to try this much-loved alternative. Lady Grey is one of Twinings best-selling teas, especially with earl grey lovers.
As I am a lover of earl grey (no, not like that) and I often enjoy Twinings as a simple low-quality but reliable brand, I am very excited to try it for the first time. I should have done this years ago.
In my review you’ll find detailed tasting notes exploring the aroma and flavour of this tea, as well my method for brewing and a few affiliate links to help you find it online to purchase. You’ll also find this tea featured in my Best Earl Grey Guide. Why not put the kettle on now and sip along with me?
Twinings Lady Grey at a Glance
Izzy's Rating
2.6/5
- Blend: Black tea with bergamot, orange, and lemon
- Flavour: Warm, rich black tea with subtle citrus notes
This tea has a much warmer and richer black tea base than the usual astringent earl grey. The notes of lemon and orange mingle with the bergamot but aren’t dominant in the blend.
Full Review – Twinings Lady Grey Teabags
Izzy's Rating
2.6/5
- Type: Tagged paper filter teabags
- Tea: Black tea
- Additives: Orange peel, lemon peel, flavouring
- Flavour Notes: Black tea, slightly astringent, rich, warm, orange zest
- Aroma: Black tea tannins, orange zest, sweetness
- Milk or Lemon: Lemon, if desired
- Where to Buy: Twinings Official Website or Amazon
I am reviewing an individually wrapped teabag of Twinings Lady Grey, but you can also find this in a foil-wrapped multi-pack or even as loose leaf. Regardless, the ingredients are the same and create a subtle aroma from the dried tea leaves. The tannins are dominant, with hints of malt, and you can also detect a little citrus.
The tea brews into a dark red-brown tea colour, which is far richer than the dull grey-brown colour of Twinings Earl Grey. Furthermore, the aroma is richer. This smells like a warming and hearty tea once brewed, not a weak and delicate blend like many earl greys.
As for the flavour, it’s only slightly astringent. The black tea base is warming and comforting while the flavouring is gentler than plain bergamot. Lemon and orange notes add sweetness to the blend and balance nicely with the tea base.
I must admit, however, that I was a little underwhelmed by this tea. The description led me to believe that it would be bright with zesty orange, but it’s actually only subtly flavoured with citrus scents.
Nonetheless, the smooth and watery texture of this tea is quite refreshing, and I found the overall experience to be a calming one. This is definitely a good choice for an afternoon tea break, especially if you like your tea without milk.
How to Brew Lady Grey Teabags
Use one teabag per mug or cup. If you are brewing a teapot, use 1 teabag per person the pot serves, plus an extra bag “for the pot”. I let mine steep for 2 minutes, which created a medium-strength brew. I recommend you start with a 1-minute brew and take a sip to judge whether it needs longer. The loose leaf version may require a little longer to really blossom.
As this is a black tea, use fresh boiling water drawn straight from the kettle. You should also get a plate of biscuits or snacks ready while the tea is brewing – whatever you fancy. I recommend something with chocolate.
Not only will the orange notes in this tea go fabulously with chocolate, but the refreshing quality will also help to wash it down.
Why Twinings Tea London?
Twinings are thought of as a “posh” tea brand. We have Stephen Fry to thank for that, I think. But in all honesty, when you rip open the teabags you’ll find that the quality of the leaves is no better than supermarket own-brand. Take a look at my photo below as an example. You can see that the tea leaf is very finely chopped and dusty, which enables it to infuse quickly but does nothing favourable for the flavour.
The only redeeming feature I can find is that the tea contains real (extremely tiny) flecks of lemon peel and orange peel. The bergamot element is made of flavouring, just like Twinings Earl Grey.
As for the packaging, it’s pretty good. There are no metal or plastic elements on my wrapped teabag and I believe the loose leaf version is plastic-free as well. Nothing to complain about here. It’s a solid effort from Twinings.
Summary
I believe that my initial disappointment is likely from building up this tea in my mind. I had heard from so many people that this tea was worth trying! Although it is certainly pleasant and will be added to my cupboard, it’s not totally blown my socks off. If you’d like to try it and see what you think, use the button below to find it on Twinings’ website or scroll back up for the Amazon link.
Tea Recommendation
Orange is a great flavour but recently I’ve really been enjoying strawberry as a tea flavour. Many artificial strawberry flavourings are way too sweet, but sometimes you come across a brand that uses a very natural and balanced strawberry flavour, like Kusmi Green Tea Strawberry.