If you want to focus on the taste of black tea, choose an unflavoured Breakfast blend. If you’re looking for bergamot, compare Earl Grey teas, then explore blends with other citrus fruits if you’d like a more aromatic cup. If you drink tea after dinner, its flavour won’t answer the question of caffeine: Anses notes that its effects on sleep vary from person to person.
If you’d like to finish dinner with a cup that has no added citrus flavouring, an unflavoured Breakfast blend is one option to compare. Twinings describes its Original English Breakfast, for example, as a blend of black teas.
If bergamot matters more to you than the character of an unflavoured tea, check the ingredients of each Earl Grey: Twinings Original Earl Grey, Lipton Rich Earl Grey and Carrefour Selection have different recipes.
If you’re thinking of having a cup close to bedtime, consider how you react to caffeine before choosing based on flavour. Anses says its possible effects on falling asleep and sleep quality vary from person to person.
First, choose the flavour profile you want in your cup, then check the ingredients of the specific product. If you’re drinking tea late, also consider your sensitivity to caffeine, whatever flavour you choose.
Choose this if: you prefer black tea without added flavouring, such as the Twinings Original English Breakfast described by the brand.
Bear in mind: this option won’t give you the bergamot note you’d find in an Earl Grey.
Choose this if: bergamot is the flavour you want after your meal.
Bear in mind: two Earl Grey teas may use different flavourings; the name alone doesn’t tell you what’s in the blend.
Choose this if: you’d also like orange or lemon in the blend, as in the Carrefour Selection Earl Grey mentioned by the retailer.
Bear in mind: these ingredients don’t remove the caffeine from black tea.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea flavour | Read the ingredients list to tell an unflavoured blend from a flavoured recipe, and check the brewing instructions for the product you choose. | If I mainly want the taste of black tea after a meal, added flavouring might take up too much space in my cup. Around 40% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Bergamot and citrus | Look for the flavourings listed and check whether orange or lemon peel is included. | To finish a meal with an aromatic note, I’d like to know whether the recipe relies on bergamot alone or includes other citrus fruits. Around 30% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Drinking tea late | Check that it is black tea, and consider when and how much you drink in light of your sensitivity to caffeine. | If I’m having a cup close to bedtime, I first think about how caffeine might affect my sleep, before choosing a flavour. Nearly 30% of consumers would put this first. |
Bergamot and other citrus fruits change the flavour profile, but they don’t make black tea caffeine-free. Anses notes that caffeine may affect how quickly you fall asleep and the quality of your sleep.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine, don’t assume a flavoured Earl Grey is a better choice close to bedtime. Consider your own tolerance, the time of day and how much you drink.
Twinings lists 6.5% bergamot flavouring in its Original Earl Grey. The Lipton Rich Earl Grey product listing mentions 5.1% flavourings, while Carrefour Selection Earl Grey also contains orange and lemon peel. These details describe the ingredients, not directly comparable flavour intensity.
Read the ingredients of the product you’re considering to choose between bergamot and a blend containing other citrus fruits.
Two of the brand’s products illustrate the choice between an unflavoured Breakfast blend and a bergamot Earl Grey.
The Rich Earl Grey mentioned by Auchan France gives you another black tea recipe to compare.
The range featured by Auchan France includes a Kusmi Tea organic Earl Grey and a black tea combining bergamot, lemon and orange blossom.
Carrefour Selection offers a loose-leaf Earl Grey blend that includes several citrus fruits.
The Bio Village product mentioned by E.Leclerc is an organic Earl Grey in tea bags, worth considering if you prefer this format.
The range featured by Auchan France includes several types of black tea, such as Breakfast, Russian Earl Grey and vanilla-caramel.
These options include a Breakfast blend in tea bags, Earl Grey teas in tea bags and a loose-leaf Russian Earl Grey. First, compare the blend type and format that suit you. If you drink black tea late, also bear your sensitivity to caffeine in mind.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you’d like an Earl Grey in tea bags after your meal. The box contains 50 tea bags; if you’re having a cup late, take your sensitivity to caffeine into account.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you prefer a Breakfast blend to an Earl Grey with or after dinner. The box contains 25 tea bags; follow the brewing instructions for this product.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you’re looking for Earl Grey in tea bags and want to compare its flavour profile with other blends. The box contains 20 tea bags; check the ingredients to find out which citrus fruits it contains.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you’d like an Earl Grey in tea bags after your meal. The box contains 24 tea bags, with a net weight of 48 g; refer to the brewing instructions for this product.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you prefer to brew loose-leaf Russian Earl Grey rather than use tea bags. The box contains 150 g of black tea; check the packaging for preparation instructions specific to this product.
Consider your sensitivity and how soon you plan to go to bed, rather than relying on the tea’s flavour alone. Anses says caffeine may delay falling asleep and reduce the duration or quality of sleep, with effects varying from person to person; a citrus-flavoured Earl Grey is still black tea.
Read the ingredients list for the specific product. Twinings France lists black tea and 6.5% bergamot flavouring in its Original Earl Grey, while the Carrefour Selection Earl Grey product listing also mentions orange and lemon peel. So the name Earl Grey alone doesn’t tell you about all the added ingredients.
Follow the instructions for the tea you’re making, as they vary by product. For its Original English Breakfast, Twinings France recommends brewing for 3 minutes with 200 ml of water at 95 °C for a classic cup, or 4 minutes for a stronger flavour. Check the instructions for your Earl Grey separately.