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Earl Grey vs English Breakfast

The two most recognised names in Western tea, and neither is a place. Both are recipes rather than origins, which is the single most useful thing to know about them.

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What is being compared

Why these get confused

Both are routinely listed alongside Assam and Darjeeling as if they were origins. They are recipes, and any leaf can be used for either.

Point by point

AspectEarl GreyEnglish Breakfast
What it isA black tea flavoured with bergamot oil, from a citrus fruit grown mainly in Calabria.A blend of black teas, with no fixed formula and no legal definition.
Base teaHistorically Chinese black tea; now anything from Ceylon to Assam depending on the packer.Usually Assam for body with Ceylon or African tea for brightness.
Does the origin mean anythingNo. Two Earl Greys can share nothing but the bergamot.No. Two breakfast blends can share nothing at all — the name describes an intended strength.
FlavourCitrus and floral over the base tea, which is often deliberately plain so the bergamot leads.Malty, brisk and strong, built to be drunk with milk first thing.
With milkDivides opinion. Milk mutes the bergamot, which is either the point or the problem.Designed for it.
Where quality showsIn the bergamot: real oil tastes floral and rounded, synthetic flavouring tastes sharp and soapy.In the base leaf, which is usually invisible behind the strength.

The short answer

Neither is a type of tea. If you like one and dislike the other you like a flavouring or a strength, not an origin — which is worth knowing before generalising about 'black tea'.

Not a ranking. TeaHQ publishes no ratings and does not know your occasion.

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