Lady Grey
A lighter Earl Grey variation adding citrus peel — usually orange and lemon — alongside a reduced quantity of bergamot. It was created and trademarked by a tea company in the 1990s for markets that found standard Earl Grey too assertive, which makes it one of the few blends with a documented commercial origin.
Character
Softer and more orange-led than Earl Grey, with the bergamot present but no longer dominant. The most useful thing to know is that it is a deliberately toned-down version rather than a separate tradition.
- Flavour
- Citrus, Floral
- Aroma
- Fresh
- Mouthfeel
- Light, Drying
- Complexity
- Straightforward
- Notes
- orange peel, lemon, light bergamot
- Aftertaste
- Bright, citrus and short.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- Not recorded — blends have components rather than a place.
- Oxidation
- Fully oxidised
- Processing
- Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying
History
Created and trademarked by Twinings in the 1990s for the Nordic market, which found Earl Grey too strong. It is one of the few named blends with a documented commercial origin and a known date.
Brewing
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 88–93 °C · 1 authored infusion
Tea bag brewing
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 95–100 °C · 1 authored infusion
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Afternoon blend
Both lighter, more delicate blends sold for later in the day. Lady Grey adds citrus peel and cornflower to an Earl Grey base; afternoon blends usually have no flavouring at all.
- Cream Earl Grey
Two Earl Grey derivatives sold side by side. One adds vanilla, the other citrus peel and flowers, and shoppers regularly buy one having wanted the other.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Darjeeling first flush
Shares 5 descriptors with Lady Grey: floral, citrus, light, drying and fresh.
- Nuwara Eliya
Shares 5 descriptors with Lady Grey: citrus, floral, light, drying and fresh.
- Dimbula
Shares 4 descriptors with Lady Grey: citrus, floral, drying and fresh.
- Duyun Mao Jian
Shares 4 descriptors with Lady Grey: floral, light, drying and fresh.
- Earl Grey
Shares 4 descriptors with Lady Grey: citrus, floral, drying and fresh.
- Kangra tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Lady Grey: floral, light, drying and fresh.