Earl Grey Tea, named after the British Prime Minister of the 1830s, is a staple of English culture and one of the most beloved teas the world over. In its original creation, Earl Grey Tea was black tea that was mixed with bergamot oil, from the bergamot orange. The bergamot tea became named after Earl Grey when, as legend has it, the Earl Grey received a gift from a foreigner of Indian or Chinese descent. The Earl enjoyed the tea so much that it started to receive recognition amongst his peers, and eventually its popularity spread throughout all of England.
Earl Grey tea today is characterized by its unique citrus flavor, a product of the rind of the bergamot orange which is the distinctive feature in all Earl Grey tea. Earl Grey was used to describe only black tea for several years after its conception, but today any tea flavored with bergamot oil is often given the name ‘Earl Grey’.