The Best Earl Grey
Decaf I’ve Ever Tasted
The best Earl Grey decaf tea I’ve ever tasted also happens to be the best decaf I’ve ever tried. And tried decafs I have. I call them attempts to turn an otherwise obsessive tea habit limited to a short daytime window into a magical 24-hour realm of possibility. Herbal and fruit teas are wonderful stand-ins, yes, but sometimes you want your camellia sinensis on demand.
Now it’s not that there’s anything wrong with decaffeinated teas per se. Well, there is some wrong. Not all decaffeination processes are bad, granted, yet it seems like more often than not, a decent brew in its naturally caffeinated form is more flavorful than its decaf counterpart. Superior decaffeination methods which are safer and result in tea retaining its flavor are the least used methods of all.
Is it any surprise tasty options are limited? Try finding premium loose leaf decaf. And try finding premium loose leaf decaf that doesn’t taste flat.
More Teas of the Week:
(All tea photos in this post © Evelyn Reid, all rights reserved, may not be used without photographer’s explicit permission).
Earl Grey Decaf. Hot.
Among the most ubiquitous names in the world of scented tea, Earl Grey is characterized by its tart, uplifting essence of bergamot, a delightful citrus fruit that could pass off as warped, bumpy lime which no one seems to use for anything else.
Well, that’s not entirely true. Perfume makers, marmalade producers, and Turkish delight confectioners have been known to favor the citrus ingredient, but I digress.
So Earl Grey is a black tea, again, flavored with bergamot, typically with oil from the fruit’s rind. Sipped first thing in the morning or as a midday treat, the brew is trickier to pull off in the evening given its higher caffeine content compared to other teas, albeit half the caffeine as in a cup of coffee.
Roughly four years ago, I spotted a bin full of small Kusmi tins on sale in a Montreal Gay Village grocery store. There was an Earl Grey decaf in the lot. Loose leaf to boot. I figured what the heck, it’s on sale. If it’s as flat as other decafs I’ve tried –I’m looking at you, sad sack of sencha abandoned in the back of my cupboard– at least my curiosity will be quenched, and for a fraction of the price.
Yet here we are four years later, and I’m still drinking the stuff. It’s almost 8 p.m. and I’m finishing up an evening cup as we speak, a decaf flavor surprisingly faithful to its namesake.
I’d be lying if I said the decaf version is as rich and nuanced as a regular cup of Earl Grey, but it comes close. Kusmi’s Earl Grey decaf has a strong, almost overpowering citrus scent when the tin is opened, perhaps in due part to the blend featuring lime and lemon scents as well as bergamot. Its aroma when the leaves are dry balances out once they’re brewed with water though. Keep in mind that it’s more of a light refreshing Grey than a full-bodied brew.
Pair a cup of Kusmi Earl Grey decaf with lemon canistrelli (top photo), fluffy crunchy bite-sized Corsican cookies made with white wine and olive oil. They may as well have been made to go together.
Where to Buy
Kusmi’s brick-and-mortar stores are all over France, but sprinkled sparingly everywhere else, with notable locations in New York City, Montreal, Milan, Beirut, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Kusmi ships internationally though so you should be able to place an order from almost anywhere in the world.
Customers can buy its decaffeinated Earl Grey with Citrus Fruits loose leaf format and in muslin tea bags.
Want the loose leaf format but without the tin? Save money by purchasing the decaffeinated Earl Grey with Citrus Fruits refill package instead.
The Best Earl Grey Decaf I’ve Ever Tasted
The best Earl Grey decaf tea I’ve ever tasted also happens to be the best decaf I’ve ever tried. And tried decafs I have. I call them attempts to turn an otherwise obsessive tea habit limited to a short daytime window into a magical 24-hour realm of possibility. Herbal and fruit teas are wonderful stand-ins, yes, but sometimes you want your camellia sinensis on demand.
Now it’s not that there’s anything wrong with decaffeinated teas per se.
Well, there is some wrong. Not all decaffeination processes are bad, granted, yet it seems like more often than not, a decent brew in its naturally caffeinated form is more flavorful than its decaf counterpart. Why? Superior decaffeination methods which are safer and result in tea retaining its flavor are the least used methods of all.
Is it any surprise tasty options are limited? Try finding premium loose leaf decaf. And try finding premium loose leaf decaf that doesn’t taste flat.
(Photo © Evelyn Reid, all rights reserved, may not be used without photographer’s explicit permission.)
Earl Grey Decaf. Hot.
Among the most ubiquitous names in the world of scented tea, Earl Grey is characterized by its tart, uplifting essence of bergamot, a delightful citrus fruit that could pass off as warped, bumpy lime which no one seems to use for anything else.
Well, that’s not entirely true. Perfume makers, marmalade producers, and Turkish delight confectioners have been known to favor the citrus ingredient, but I digress.
So Earl Grey is a black tea, again, flavored with bergamot, typically with oil from the fruit’s rind. Sipped first thing in the morning or as a midday treat, the brew is trickier to pull off in the evening given its higher caffeine content compared to other teas, albeit half the caffeine as in a cup of coffee.
Roughly four years ago, I spotted a bin full of small Kusmi tins on sale in a Montreal Gay Village grocery store. There was an Earl Grey decaf in the lot. Loose leaf to boot. I figured what the heck, it’s on sale. If it’s as flat as other decafs I’ve tried –I’m looking at you, sad sack of sencha abandoned in the back of my cupboard– at least my curiosity will be quenched, and for a fraction of the price.
(Photo © Evelyn Reid, all rights reserved, may not be used without photographer’s explicit permission.)
Yet here we are four years later, and I’m still drinking the stuff. It’s almost 8 p.m. and I’m finishing up an evening cup as we speak, a decaf flavor surprisingly faithful to its namesake.
I’d be lying if I said the decaf version is as rich and nuanced as a regular cup of Earl Grey, but it comes close. Kusmi’s Earl Grey decaf has a strong, almost overpowering citrus scent when the tin is opened, perhaps in due part to the blend featuring lime and lemon scents as well as bergamot. Its aroma when the leaves are dry balances out once they’re brewed with water though. Keep in mind that it’s more of a light refreshing Grey than a full-bodied brew.
Pair a cup of Kusmi Earl Grey decaf with lemon canistrelli (top photo), fluffy crunchy bite-sized Corsican cookies made with white wine and olive oil. They may as well have been made to go together.
Where to Buy
Kusmi’s brick-and-mortar stores are all over France, but sprinkled sparingly everywhere else, with notable locations in New York City, Montreal, Milan, Beirut, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Kusmi ships internationally though so you should be able to place an order from almost anywhere in the world.
Customers can buy its decaffeinated Earl Grey with Citrus Fruits loose leaf format and in muslin tea bags.
Want the loose leaf format but without the tin? Save money by purchasing the decaffeinated Earl Grey with Citrus Fruits refill package instead.
