The origins of Earl Grey tea are shrouded in mystery and there are several intriguing stories that contribute to its rich history. In this article, we explore the different theories surrounding the story of Earl Grey tea and the role that Earl Grey himself played in the creation of this famous tea.
One of the most popular slants on the story of Earl Grey tea is that while on a diplomatic mission to China, one of Prime Minister Charles Grey’s envoys heroically saved the son of a Chinese mandarin from drowning. As a token of his gratitude, the mandarin commissioned a Chinese tea master to create a special tea to be presented to the Prime Minister, Charles 2nd Earl Grey.
The story of Earl Grey tea goes on that Earl Grey instructed Twinings of London to recreate the tea, and when they did, they named it after the 2nd Earl Grey himself. More background to this story is that Lady Grey served the tea when she accompanied her husband to London and entertained guests. The ladies in her circle liked the tea and she asked her husband if it could be made more readily available. When Prime Minister Earl Grey asked Twinings to recreate the tea, he asked them to make a tea to counteract the taste of lime in the water at the Grey family estate in Northumberland, Howick Hall. As the quality of water is so important to the taste of the tea, this version of the story seems highly likely.
A variation of this story suggests that Earl Grey received the tea as a diplomatic gift in gratitude for his services in resolving a difficult trade negotiation. As the British were smuggling over 1,000 tonnes of opium a year into China at the time, and there is no record of Prime Minister Grey visiting China, this story seems unlikely.
A particularly romantic legend tells of the difficult voyage of a tea clipper from China to London. According to the story, a ship carrying black tea and bergamot fruit encountered a stormy sea. The rough conditions caused the cargo to shift and the tea took on the flavour of the bergamot oil from the fruits. On arrival in England, the tea was discovered to have a unique, fragrant aroma and flavour that was surprisingly well received. This accidental mixture is said to have inspired the deliberate creation of what we now know as Earl Grey tea. As there is no evidence of bergamot growing in China at the time (95% of the world’s bergamot comes from the tip of Calabria in Italy), this story seems highly unlikely.
While it could be argued that the British East India Company laid the foundations for today’s tea industry in India, the claim that Earl Grey tea originated in India during British colonial rule has no basis in fact. What may have happened is that, as it was customary for British officials and aristocrats to receive gifts from local rulers, an Indian maharaja gave a bergamot-flavoured tea to senior members of the British Raj. The exotic blend, with its distinctive citrus aroma, would have quickly become popular with the British elite living the high life in the steamy climes of British-ruled India.
While the exact details of Earl Grey’s origins may never be known, Twinings of London undoubtedly played a significant role in the history and popularisation of Earl Grey tea. And the creation of a tea to counteract the taste of limey water is certainly plausible. Although they never trademarked it, Twinings were the first to promote Earl Grey tea, capitalising on the demand for blended and flavoured teas that was beginning to grow in the early 19th century. And in the same way that naming teas after members of the royal family today adds an extra layer of appeal, naming a tea after the Prime Minister Earl Grey would have added a touch of sophistication and aristocratic appeal – an exemplary display of early branding and marketing tactics.
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