Earl Grey and Lady Grey Tea: Do You Know The Difference?

Earl Grey tea is undeniably an international treasure to many tea lovers. It is not its own category of tea though. Instead, it is one of the most recognized flavoured teas and is known as one of the first ever flavoured/scented teas. Twinings, a British tea company, is credited with making this classic such a popular tea blend. However, there are many earl grey tea variations out there, including one known as Lady Grey tea. While both of these teas were popularized by the English and belong to the same family, there are some differences between the two.

What is Earl Grey Tea?

The history of Earl Grey tea is a bit unclear, but the story I am familiar with begins with Earl Charles Grey — the individual it was named after. In 1831, Richard Twining was asked by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Charles Grey (the 2nd Earl Grey) to replicate a tea he was given by a Chinese Mandarin tea master. He was the Prime Minister from 1830-1834.

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), Prime Minister (Image Source: Wikipedia)

It was believed that Charles tasted a flavoured/scented tea during his diplomatic visit to China and so he wanted to find something similar in Britain to enjoy. Richard Twining was successful in creating a tea for Charles and that is how the classic Earl Grey came to life. From that day forward the blend was named after the Prime Minister himself.

The Ingredients and Taste of Earl Grey Tea

A classic earl grey is a black tea with bergamot oil. Bergamot oil comes from the rind of a bergamot orange. Although it is more like a lemon than an orange and is even yellow. This is a fruit that is mainly grown in Calabria, Italy.

There is no one way to make an earl grey. The black tea used can be sourced from India, Africa or even China. The amount and type (natural or artificial) of bergamot oil used differs and the blend can also consist of cornflowers or other ingredients. This is why if you have tasted earl grey tea from various brands you may have noticed they were slightly different. This allows you to find the right earl grey for your taste buds. Still, the classic recipe only requires the two simple ingredients.

It’s a full bodied tea with citrus notes that can be enjoyed straight or even with milk. Some people even like their earl grey tea with a slice of lemon to compliment the bergamot. It’s also the tea that is used to make London Fogs.

Earl Grey Tea is caffeinated as it is made with a black tea base, however there are some caffeine-free earl grey options, too. See the list of different types of earl grey tea towards the end of this article.

What is Lady Grey Tea?

Lady Grey is the newer tea out of the two. This blend was been created by Twinings in the early 1990s and named after the wife of Earl Charles Grey, Lady Mary Elizabeth Grey.

Some tea drinkers, especially in the Nordic market, found the classic earl grey blend to be too strong. So, the lady grey blend was made and quickly became popular to many.

The Ingredients and Taste of Lady Grey Tea

Lady Grey tea is a black tea with bergamot oil, lemon and orange peels. While the taste of an Earl Grey will vary depending on the tea blender/company, Lady Grey tea is actually a trademark of Twinings, so it should always taste the same. You can still find teas that are similar to this blend though (under a different name) as other companies make their own Lady Grey tea variation. The variations can not be the exact same!

The original Lady Grey tea is often described as being a lighter version of the classic Earl Grey tea. The bergamot notes are more subtle as this tea is also a bit fruitier and zesty with the additional ingredients. It can be enjoyed straight or with milk, too. Again, since the base of this blend is a black tea, Lady Grey Tea is caffeinated. Get Twinings’ Lady Grey black tea here.

The Different Types of Earl Grey Tea

Technically some might say that Earl Grey is any tea flavoured with bergamot oil. It doesn’t just have to be a black tea and it doesn’t just have to be only those two ingredients. Here are some common earl grey tea variations you may come across:

Double Bergamot or Extra Strong Earl Grey

If you’re a big fan of bergamot oil and want more then this variation is for you! Just as the name suggests, there is double the amount so the citrus flavour is even stronger.

Russian Earl Grey

This variation consists of black tea leaves blended with bergamot oil plus citrus peels and lemongrass.

French Earl Grey

This variation consists of black tea leaves blended with bergamot oil plus rose petals or lavender for some floral notes.

Cream of Earl Grey

This creamy alternative can be used to make a London Fog latte because it consists of black tea leaves blended with bergamot oil plus vanilla.

Earl Grey Green

If you’re looking for an earl grey option that is lower in caffeine then you may want to check out this variation. Instead of a black tea base, green tea is blended with bergamot oil for a lighter cup. The water temperate and steep time will be different than earl grey black teas.

Decaf Earl Grey

This version uses a decaffeinated black tea base with the bergamot oil. It’s a favourite for those that want the classic, bold taste but don’t want any caffeine.

Rooibos Earl Grey

Rooibos, a tisane from South Africa, is used as the base for a naturally caffeine free earl grey tea. The bergamot oil is blended with this herb that has a reddish-brown colour, so sometimes it can also be referred to as Red Earl Grey.