Cream and then jam on top? Or jam with cream on top? It’s one of the big questions I ponder as I nibble my cream tea (jam on top) and sip Mlesna Earl Grey Cream tea. Whichever side you fall on, this tea is bound to sound attractive to any cream tea lover!
The sharpness of citrusy bergamot is perfect for cutting through sweet, cloying foods. But what about an Earl Grey cream tea? The addition of creamy notes to this traditional Earl Grey blend is a total game changer.
Find out what it really tastes like, how to brew it, and where to buy it in my full tea review below.
Mlesna Earl Grey Cream Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Black tea from Sri Lanka with Earl Grey and cream flavourings
- Flavour: Plain black tea with a thick texture, bitter flavour, and surprising aftertaste
The best thing about this tea only pops up a few seconds after you swallow. What seems at first to be a plain black tea with little bergamot and dairy, develops magnificently in the aftertaste.
Full Review – Mlesna Cream Earl Grey
- Type: Tagged paper filter teabags
- Tea: Black tea from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
- Additives: Bergamot flavouring, cream flavouring
- Flavour Notes: Plain, cream, bergamot, bitter
- Aroma: Vanilla, bergamot, chemicals, rich
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Amazon
Knowing that this tea is made with flavouring, rather than bergamot oils and dairy, is off-putting. But actually, when you first open the Mlesna Earl Grey Cream teabags, it’s not that bad. There is a slight chemical note, but it’s not overpowering. Mostly the dry tea just smells like sweet Madagascan vanilla and citrus bergamot.
It brews slowly and doesn’t even get dark enough to justify adding milk. It settles at an amber-brown shade that’s crystal clear.
The aroma of the brewed tea is much better. The vanilla is smoother, and the black tea base is rich and hearty. Bergamot notes are, however, slightly diminished.
When you take a sip, you ask yourself “where did those yummy flavours go?” because it washes over your tongue like a plain black tea with a hint of bitterness. The only notable thing is that creamy, thick mouthfeel that’s very nice. Then, a few seconds after you swallow, the aftertaste rushes in and coats your mouth with flavour.
The creaminess is fantastic! It’s rich and caramel-like with the black tea, and notes of bergamot pop through and add brightness.
Ultimately, this is a bizarre tea. It’s only great when you’ve finished drinking each mouthful!
How to Brew Earl Grey Cream
Use 100°C water, fresh from the kettle, and let the Mlesna Earl Grey Cream teabags brew for up to 2 minutes. Any longer than that, you’ll find bitterness starts to overpower everything. Also, I recommend brewing this tea in small teacups. The aftertaste flavour is quite powerful, so you don’t want to drink too much in one sitting.
Don’t add milk – it’s creamy enough already. Biscuits might be nice with this tea though. Eating a cream tea is heavenly, but you might find it’s a bit too much with this tea. I recommend a crisp, classic Earl Grey or hearty English Breakfast tea with your scones instead.
Why Mlesna Ceylon Tea Bags?
This tea called to me from the shelves of TK Maxx. It was part of the Mlesna tea collection, so that’s why my Mlesna Earl Grey Cream teabags are individually wrapped, instead of loose in a box. While Mlesna’s packaging isn’t great for the environment, the foil wrappers certainly keep the tea fresh.
Mlesna source all their teas from Sri Lanka, also known as Ceylon in the tea world. The quality of the tea is… nice. It’s certainly nice to know that your tea is coming from one location, rather than multiple countries around the world. Unfortunately, the quality of the tea is poor. It’s chopped very finely and is quite dusty.
That initial chemical aroma hints at unnatural flavourings too, which is a shame.
Summary
This tea is odd, but still quite nice and it has a decent rating here on the blog. Mlesna don’t have a huge online presence, but I have managed to track down a 500g bag of Mlesna Cream Earl Grey tea on Amazon. I’ve added the link below to help you find it. You might also find this tea in supermarkets and corner stores, as it’s often part of Mlesna selection boxes.
Tea Recommendation
Never heard of a cream Earl Grey tea before? Your next stop should be my Tea Review Index. It’s the place to go if you want to discover brand new tea blends, types and flavours from a growing range of tea companies. You might just be surprised at what you can find in my Best Earl Grey Tea List too.