Yorkshire Tea – An Honest Tea Review
I have a love-hate relationship with tea brands like Yorkshire Tea. As a tea nerd, I’ve sampled some of the finest loose leaf teas available… and this is definitely not even close. If this was a review that was purely about the quality of the tea leaf, how it is grown and processed, Yorkshire wouldn’t do very well at all.
But that’s not the point.
Even I cannot deny that Yorkshire Tea tastes good. It’s proudly named Britain’s most popular traditional black tea on the Wiki page, so they’re doing something right.
This tea review is going to explore just how tasty Yorkshire Tea is, and whether other factors take anything away from it. If you are new to my blog, you should know that I consider the quality of the tea leaf, the aroma of the tea, and the ethical/organic certifications that come along with it when I give a star rating. Learn more about my reviewing process in the Tea Review Index.
You can find an Amazon link to purchase this tea below – it’s perfect for any international readers. Most UK readers can find this tea cheaper in their local supermarket. But if you do choose to click on my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is an honest tea review, after all!
Yorkshire Tea at a Glance
Izzy's Rating
3.6/5
- Blend: Black tea from over 20 farms in India and Africa
- Flavour: Medium-bodied and refreshing with subtle bitterness
With a rich and bright aroma, this tea is very nice to sip. It’s a classic, plain black tea with no bells or whistles. There is a slight bitterness to the flavour, however, that’s a little discouraging if you prefer your tea without sugar.
Full Review – Original Yorkshire Tea
Izzy's Rating
3.6/5
- Type: Square paper filter bag
- Tea: Black tea
- Origins: Africa and India
- Flavour Notes: Medium-bodied, refreshing, bitter
- Aroma: Bright, refreshing tannins, malt, fresh, rich
- Milk or Lemon: Plenty of milk and sugar, if desired
- Where to Buy: Amazon or UK supermarkets
The aroma coming from the dried leaf is pretty amazing! It’s bright and refreshing with distinct tannin notes (that classic bitter flavour that tea has) and a hint of malt. I love how fresh it is.
Once brewed according to Yorkshire Tea directions, it creates a very dark and rich brown colour. Add milk – it’s essential with a tea like this – to get a traditional brown tea colour. Standard, but comforting.
Inhale the steam coming from the cup to enjoy the rich, malty and bright aroma. It’s strong with tannins but seems to have a good body to back it up.
The flavour is good… but it’s not as amazing as the aroma. I found the body of the tea to be middling – not strong, but certainly not weak – and although it is refreshing, it is also quite bitter. I would dread to drink this tea without milk!
It has a smooth, slick and slightly drying mouthfeel that adds to that refreshing note.
Overall, I found it to be a well-executed cup of tea. It’s a little too bitter for my tastes, as I drink my tea without sugar, but it’s reliable. Brew it hot and drink it without giving it too much thought. While I prefer my loose leaf teas over this, I can see why it’s one of the most popular teas in the UK.
How to Brew Yorkshire Tea
Pop 1 teabag in your mug, pour over boiling water, and let it steep for 4 to 5 minutes. If you are brewing a smaller teacup, you can probably cut that to 3 minutes total.
I add soy milk to my tea, but you can use any milk or non-dairy alternative that you like. You can add a teaspoon of sugar too, to combat that bitterness. Just bear in mind that it will dampen the bitterness a little too.
This is a great tea to have at breakfast and if it were labelled an English Breakfast tea, it would certainly be included in my Best English Breakfast Tea list.
Why Yorkshire Tea?
Yorkshire Tea is a British company that’s owned by Taylors of Harrogate. All their teas are certified with the Rainforest Alliance and they market their brand as ethical and fair towards the tea farms they gather their tea from.
There is a blend of up to 20 different black teas included in Yorkshire Tea, which is how they masterfully create that rounded flavour. I am also impressed with the amount of leaf included in each square paper teabag – it’s easily twice as much as you’d get in a Twinings teabag.
With the current cost of living crisis, I really feel like Yorkshire Tea offers good value for money. The flavour, in particular, is great.
The quality of the tea leaf isn’t very good – it’s flaky, small and dusty. This enables Yorkshire to blend their tea better and it lowers the price. Unfortunately, this may also be the cause of the bitterness in this tea. Small leaf pieces brew quickly and often over-brew, whereas larger leaf pieces take longer to soak into the water and thus develop a more complex flavour profile.
As a budget supermarket tea brand, I definitely recommend Yorkshire Tea.
Summary
Overall, this tea has a good flavour is has good origins. It’s not high quality but it is reliable and affordable. If you were going to switch from Yorkshire Tea to another brand, I urge you to reconsider. You don’t find many teabag black teas that can get to this level of richness in the aroma or flavour.
You can find this tea on Amazon using the button below.
Tea-Ware Recommendation
If you want a cute mug to sip this tea from, I’ve recently opened at tea-ware shop here at Immortal Wordsmith! Brew your Yorkshire Tea in one of my Cute Cat Mugs. They’re adorable and the perfect size for a good cuppa.