CTC stands for Crush, Tear, Curl: a process that runs the leaf through serrated cylinders to break it into small, uniform granules. It brews fast (two to three minutes), produces a strong, malty cup, and takes flavour additions like bergamot well because there is more leaf surface to absorb the oil. Orthodox (whole-leaf) brewing is more nuanced; CTC is what you want for a no-fuss breakfast Earl Grey.
Bergamot oil in tea is one of those things where natural beats synthetic noticeably. Synthetic bergamot reads as floor-cleaner. Real bergamot, pressed from the peel of Citrus bergamia (Calabrian, mostly), is more complex: pine, lavender, a hint of grapefruit, citrus oils that round rather than dominate. Hyson use the real thing. You can tell on the first sniff of the open box.
Hyson is a family-owned Sri Lankan Tea company that has been exporting since the 1970s. They sit in the small group of producers who pack at origin: the leaf is blended, oiled and bagged in Sri Lanka, then shipped sealed to the importer. That means tighter quality control, slightly higher unit cost, and zero re-packing in Europe.
100 bags is the format we get most café-and-office requests for. The per-bag price drops meaningfully against the 25-bag box, which makes it the right format for any household going through more than a box a fortnight. Subscribe and Save stacks on top for another 10%. Same blend, lower cost per cup.
Browse the related Hyson range at teas.co.uk.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for Hyson Premium Earl Grey now available in 100-bag bulk pack. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/hyson-premium-earl-grey-now-available-in-100-bag-bulk-pack/
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for Hyson Premium Earl Grey now available in 100-bag bulk pack. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/hyson-premium-earl-grey-now-available-in-100-bag-bulk-pack/