Fans of buttery or plain biscuits
You want your tea to hold its own alongside shortbread or oat biscuits, perhaps with a splash of milk. English Breakfast is worth comparing if you enjoy a robust cup.
Who is this choice for?
Fans of citrus notes
You’d like your cup to bring a hint of bergamot, rather than choosing an unflavoured black tea blend.
Everyday tea bag buyers
Before choosing a blend, you check the number of tea bags, the box weight and, if it matters to you, whether it’s labelled organic.
What should you look for?
For a tea-and-biscuits break, first decide between an unflavoured black tea blend and a recipe with bergamot. The format and brewing instructions can then help you choose a specific product.
English Breakfast
Choose this if: you’re looking for a robust black tea to go with plain, buttery or oat biscuits.
Bear in mind: this flavour profile may overpower a delicate biscuit if you’d rather let its flavour shine.
Earl Grey
Choose this if: you’d like a hint of bergamot in your tea, especially with a plain biscuit.
Bear in mind: bergamot changes the pairing and is less subtle than unflavoured black tea.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Tea’s flavour profile | Compare the Breakfast blend and the brewing time shown on the box. | With buttery biscuits, I want to taste the tea without leaving it to brew for longer at random. Around 33% of consumers might put this flavour profile at the top of their list. |
| Bergamot | Check the ingredients for bergamot and any other flavours. | With a plain biscuit, I’d like the tea itself to bring a citrus note. This could be the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Everyday format | Check the number of tea bags or the net weight, then choose between tea bags and loose-leaf tea based on how you make your tea. | If I make tea regularly, I want a pack size that suits how much I drink. Around 25% of consumers might prioritise the format. |
| Organic and ingredients | Check whether the product you’re considering is labelled organic, along with any declared origins or ingredients. | Before considering the flavour profile, I prefer to know what’s in the tea or look for a product labelled organic. This could be the main priority for around 17% of consumers. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming all black teas are the same blend
The English Breakfast teas described by Twinings France and Auchan France combine black teas from several origins, while Twinings Earl Grey lists bergamot flavouring. So the words ‘black tea’ alone don’t tell you whether it will make the pairing you’re looking for.
Decide whether you want a hint of bergamot, then check the ingredients of the exact product you’re considering.
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Comparing boxes without checking what’s inside
The products listed by Twinings France, Auchan France and E.Leclerc don’t all contain the same number of tea bags or the same weight. A box’s apparent size tells you little about how much tea it contains.
Compare the net weight and number of tea bags, taking into account how often you’ll drink it.
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Always leaving your tea to brew for longer
Instructions vary from one blend to another. For the English Breakfast it reviewed, Twinings France recommends 3 minutes for a standard cup and 4 minutes for a stronger flavour. Auchan France recommends 2 to 3 minutes at 100 °C for the Lipton English Breakfast it reviewed.
Start with the recommended brewing time for your chosen product, then adjust it to suit your taste.
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Forgetting about caffeine during a late break
Anses says caffeine can delay falling asleep and reduce sleep duration and quality, although its effects vary from person to person.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine, consider when you’re having your tea and any other caffeinated products you’ve consumed.
Brands to know when comparing products
Twinings
Two distinct blends to compare: Original English Breakfast and Original Earl Grey.
- According to Twinings France, the English Breakfast it reviewed combines teas from Kenya, Assam, Indonesia and China.
- The Earl Grey it reviewed contains 6.5% bergamot flavouring, according to Twinings France; this doesn’t describe every tea from the brand.
Lipton
A tea-bag English Breakfast offers another black tea blend to compare.
- Auchan France’s listing for Lipton English Breakfast, 25 tea bags, gives its blend as 80% Kenyan, 15% Assam and 5% Ceylon tea.
- Its brewing instructions—2 to 3 minutes at 100 °C—apply to this product only.
Kusmi Tea
Worth a look if you’d like to try an Earl Grey labelled organic or another flavoured blend.
- The Auchan France range includes, among other options, an organic Kusmi Tea Earl Grey with bergamot.
- Check the ingredients and box size before comparing your chosen product with another Earl Grey.
Carrefour Selection
A loose-leaf Earl Grey to consider if you prefer to measure out your own tea.
- Carrefour lists a 100 g box of Carrefour Selection Earl Grey.
- Check the blend and instructions on the box: the name Earl Grey alone doesn’t tell you how much to use or how long to brew it.
Bio Village (E.Leclerc)
An Earl Grey tea in bags, labelled organic.
- E.Leclerc lists a bergamot-flavoured black tea Earl Grey, with 20 tea bags weighing 36 g in total.
- When comparing it with another box, consider both the weight and the number of tea bags.
Auchan
The black tea range includes several flavour profiles, including Breakfast and Russian Earl Grey.
- The Auchan France range includes, among other options, Breakfast boxes with 25 and 100 tea bags.
- Check the label of each product for its blend and brewing instructions.
Black teas to consider on Joybuy
This selection includes tea-bag Breakfast blends and several Earl Greys, in tea bags or loose-leaf form. First decide which flavour profile you’d like with your biscuits, then compare the ingredients and packaging of each product.
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PUKKA English Breakfast, 20 tea bags
Worth considering if you’re looking for a tea-bag Breakfast to enjoy with biscuits that have a mild flavour.
The description mentions teas from India and Africa, as well as organic and Fairtrade credentials. Check the brewing instructions on the packaging.
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DAMMANN Breakfast, 24 tea bags, 48 g
Another Breakfast blend to compare if you prefer black tea blends in tea bags.
The description lists teas from Ceylon, Darjeeling and Assam. Check the packaging for brewing instructions.
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LIPTON Earl Grey with Italian bergamot, 20 tea bags
Worth a look if you’d like a bergamot blend rather than unflavoured Breakfast tea.
The description mentions black tea, bergamot and lemon, with a recommended brewing time of 3 to 4 minutes. Check the packaging for the amount of water to use.
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PUKKA Earl Grey, 20 tea bags
This blend is worth comparing if you’re looking for bergamot and don’t mind other aromatic notes alongside your biscuits.
The description lists bergamot flavouring, lemon and lavender, as well as organic black tea. Check the brewing instructions on the packaging.
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LIPTON Russian Earl Grey loose-leaf tea, 150 g
A loose-leaf option to consider if you prefer to measure out your own flavoured black tea.
The description mentions bergamot, lemon and petals, with a brewing time of 2 to 3 minutes in 200 ml of water at 100 °C. Check the packaging for the amount of tea leaves to use per cup.
Frequently asked questions
Which black tea should you serve with buttery or plain biscuits?
English Breakfast is worth considering if you enjoy a robust tea with these biscuits. The products described by Twinings France and Auchan France combine black teas from several origins; start with the brewing time recommended for the box you choose.
When should you choose Earl Grey for a tea-and-biscuits break?
Choose Earl Grey if you’d like a hint of bergamot in your cup. The Original Earl Grey listed by Twinings France contains 6.5% bergamot flavouring. With a plain biscuit, you can decide whether this note plays as big a part in the pairing as you’d like.
Is the same brewing time suitable for every blend?
No: follow the instructions for the product you’re making. Twinings France gives different brewing times—3 or 4 minutes—for its English Breakfast, depending on how robust you like it, while Auchan France’s listing for the Lipton English Breakfast it reviewed recommends 2 to 3 minutes at 100 °C.
Why should you consider caffeine when having a late cuppa?
Caffeine can interfere with sleep, and people’s sensitivity to it varies. Anses notes, in particular, that it can delay falling asleep and reduce sleep duration and quality. Consider what time you’re having your tea and any other caffeinated products you consume.