Today, I’m serving up a refreshing cup of Taylors of Harrogate Lemon and Orange tea. Lemon and orange (not to be confused with St Clements oranges and lemons) is such a refreshing combination and it can work really well with the depth and warmth of black tea.
Just like chocolate and orange is a good combination, tea and citrus fruits is a classic and hard to get wrong. Nonetheless, I have seen some disasters in the past, usually because the flavouring is too weak or too bitter.
So, let’s take a closer look at Taylors of Harrogate Lemon Orange Tea in my full review below. You can find the flavours to expect, the best brewing method, and places to buy this tea in my review.
P.S. if you are looking for a citrus fruit tea that is caffeine-free, then check out my review of Twinings St Clements instead.
Taylors of Harrogate Lemon Orange Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Black tea from Africa and India with natural citrus fruit flavourings
- Flavour: Uplifting, smooth and bright tea with fresh orange and lemon flavours
I thoroughly enjoyed drinking this tea. The black tea base is smooth and low in tannins, while the orange and lemon flavouring is fresh and bright. It’s a great combination, perfectly executed here.
Full Review – Lemon and Orange Black Tea
- Type: Tagged paper filter teabag
- Tea: Black tea from Africa and India
- Additives: Natural lemon flavouring, natural orange flavouring, other natural flavourings
- Flavour Notes: Smooth, bright, low tannins, fresh lemon slices, squeeze of orange, sweet, pith
- Aroma: Lemon, fresh, orange sweetness, candied zest
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Amazon
The initial aroma of this tea, as soon as you open the packet, is a blend of fresh sour lemon and orange sweetness. It’s bright but doesn’t seem to be too fake or concentrated – it has that lightness that you usually only get with freshly squeezed fruits.
Once the tea has brewed into a dark sunburnt orange colour, with a hint of yellow around the rim, the aroma develops in sweetness. The lemon notes shift towards candied citrus peel and the freshly squeezed orange juice aroma intensifies. I must admit, I am close to drooling at this point. There’s something about the scent of citrus fruits that really appeals to me!
The flavour is wonderful and exactly as I expected. You can certainly taste the black tea, but it remains gentle and smooth. The tannins are far away in the background and overall, it’s very bright. The orange and lemon flavouring is strong and discernible, but well-balanced with the black tea – you can taste all components with every sip.
I really enjoyed the uplifting orange and lemon flavours in this brew. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and has a freshness that most teabag brands fail to capture. You can detect a little bitterness in the aftertaste that reminds me of white citrus fruit pith, but it’s not overpowering at all. If you enjoy slick, light and citrusy beverages, then you are going to fall in love with Taylors of Harrogate Lemon and Orange Tea.
How to Brew Flavoured Black Tea
For this tea, use freshly drawn water from the tap. Don’t reboil the water that has been left sitting in your kettle – this will really dull the fresh notes of the tea. Once the kettle has boiled, pour it over the teabag and let it steep for 4 to 5 minutes.
I found 4 minutes to be the perfect strength for me, but you can give it an extra minute if you think it needs it.
Personally, the sweetness levels of this tea are already perfect and adding more lemon is just going to skew the balance of flavours. It is also not a good idea to add milk – it won’t work well with the lightness of the black tea base and the freshness of the citrus fruits. Ultimately, you don’t need to add anything extra to this tea to make a good cuppa.
Why Taylors of Harrogate?
Taylors of Harrogate are a British tea company. Not many people realise that this is also the tea company that owns Yorkshire Tea, the most consumed everyday tea in the UK! But when they’re not busy making “proper” brews, they’re creating more delicate and well-blended teas under the Taylors of Harrogate line.
This tea relies heavily on natural flavouring, but I’m not too upset with this because the flavouring is just so good! You can see from my photos that the quality of tea leaf is nothing to brag about. But I do like that I can easily find the origins of the tea.
Furthermore, this tea is certified carbon neutral as well as recognised by the Rainforest Alliance and the Ethical Tea Partnership. As far as I can tell, the packaging seems to be plastic-free too. Much like my review of the Sweet Rhubarb blend, I feel confident in saying that these teas are a league above Twinings.
Summary
This tea has an amazing flavour that’s just so bright and refreshing. I would happily drink this tea every day, if I didn’t already have a mountain of teas to review from brands around the globe.
You can find this tea to buy on Amazon using the link below. I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase, but this is at no additional cost to you. It just helps us keep the blog running. You may also find this tea in some supermarkets and independent stores in the UK.
Tea-Ware Recommendation
If you liked the look of my cute tea bowl in this review, then you will love the Patterned Tea Bowls I currently stock in our shop at Immortal Wordsmith. They are perfect for small servings of tea, snacks, or side dishes at the dinner table. We offer free delivery across the UK!