This is a more refined take on Earl Grey: a light, muscatel Darjeeling sits under the bergamot in place of a heavy black base, so it drinks best without milk and wants a short steep to hold onto both the bergamot lift and the Darjeeling fruit.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the The Standard Darjeeling Earl Grey Cup recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/earl-grey/the-standard-darjeeling-earl-grey-cup/
It uses Teapigs Darjeeling Earl Grey, a whole-leaf bergamot Black Tea. One mug, a few minutes, and best drunk black.
You'll need
- 1 Teapigs Darjeeling Earl Grey tea temple
- 250ml water, just boiled then left 30 seconds off the boil
- A thin slice of lemon, optional
- No milk recommended, it muddies the Darjeeling
Method
- Boil fresh water and let it stand 30 seconds. A Darjeeling base is more delicate than a heavy Assam, so just off the boil protects the fruit and the bergamot.
- Put the temple in the mug and pour the water over.
- Steep 3 minutes only. This is the key: a short steep keeps the bergamot bright and the muscatel Darjeeling note alive; longer and it goes flat and tannic.
- Lift the bag out with one gentle press, no squeezing, which would pull bitterness from the Darjeeling.
- Drink it black to taste the leaf. A thin slice of lemon suits it; milk muddies the delicate base, so leave it out.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Teapigs Darjeeling Earl Grey, 15 Tea Bags 37.5g
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