Tea Blog

If memory serves, there is only one major tea named after a person—and that would be Earl Grey tea flavored with bergamot citrus oil. This well-known variety is typically made by infusing black tea with the aromatic oil extracted from the peel of the bergamot orange. The result is a distinctly fragrant tea that is quite popular, even if it isn’t to everyone’s liking.

How did a tea come to be named after a nineteenth-century British prime minister? The story varies depending on the source, and there is no single widely accepted account. However, Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, is generally credited—accurately or not—with helping to popularize the blend that bears his name.

Interest in the origins of Earl Grey tea has extended even into academic circles. At one point, researchers at the Oxford English Dictionary began investigating the earliest known uses of the term. Surprisingly, their findings suggested that documented references to “Earl Grey tea” appeared relatively late—nearly a century after Grey’s lifetime.

This prompted further exploration by the editors of the OxfordWords blog, who invited the public to help trace earlier usage. The results can be found in this investigation into the historical origins of the term Earl Grey tea, which highlights intriguing clues from advertisements and historical documents.

Among these findings is a reference to an 1836 advertisement in which a tea merchant claimed to sell a blend known as “Earl Grey’s mixture.” Whether this points to the true origin of the name remains uncertain, but it suggests that the association between the Earl and the tea may have deeper historical roots than previously documented.

Looking even further back, references to the use of bergamot as a flavoring agent for tea appear in early 19th-century sources. For example, this 1836 text on trade with China and Asia notes that bergamot was already recognized as an effective way to flavor tea. Similarly, this early 1824 reference to bergamot-flavored tea suggests that the practice predates the widespread use of the name “Earl Grey.”

Despite these clues, a definitive origin story for Earl Grey tea remains elusive. Like many traditions in tea history, it is a blend of documented fact and enduring legend. Perhaps future research will provide a clearer picture, but for now, the mystery is part of the tea’s enduring appeal.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea-related articles by the author, and browse additional posts about Earl Grey tea in this collection of Earl Grey tea articles and discussions.

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