We brought this tea into the cafe because of endless request for Ice London Fog. The problem with making an Ice London Fog is that when you cool down Earl Grey tea the black tea softens and the bergamot comes to the front. It taste almost soapy. This matcha fixes that problem. The black tea stays in the for ground making the best ice London Fog ever. Actually, it is exceptional as a hot fog as well or on it's own. We have done many things with this matcha from cookies, to whip cream to ice cream.
Bright bergamot layered over smooth notes of malt. Pleasant astringency with creamy mouth feel
From the Supplier:
We all know about Earl Grey right? But what do we really know about bergamot, the small, pear-shaped citrus used to scent this incredibly popular tea? While formulating our Earl Grey black Matcha, inquisitive minds led us to trace the origins of this mysterious fruit.
According to our research, the first grove of Bergamot was planted in the Reggio Calabria region of Italy sometime around 1750. Oral history in the region maintains these trees may have been planted from cuttings sourced in the Canary Islands by Christopher Columbus. Tracking back even further, Canary Island legend maintains the fruit was brought there from China, perhaps even a century beforehand. (Of course, there is no way to substantiate these claims.)
These days, the bulk of the world's Bergamot still descends from this first grove. (Let's call it the Genesis Grove.) What's more, they are grown on a thin strip of Calabrian coastline no more than 60 miles/95 km in length. After harvest, roughly 440 lbs/200kg of fruit are used to produce as little as 2.2 lb/1 kg of bergamot extract. (Naturally, this ensures premium pricing for luxury grade bergamot oil.)
While some tea companies may substitute true Bergamot extract with chemical based alternatives, our luxury standards require the real thing. As such, to create this fabulous Earl Grey Matcha, we infuse 100% natural Bergamot extract into our own blend of high grown Ceylon black teas and run the works through our Japanese style Matcha mill. The result is a thick frothy cup that delivers the best bergamot has to offer. If you like bergamot like we do, prepare for everlasting love.
Brewing Matcha: One common misconception people have of Matcha is that is must be brewed according to the strict guidelines of the Chanoyu ceremony. In reality, Matcha can be brewed many different ways. We will detail a couple of our favorites here, as well as the ceremonial method. Please keep in mind that Matcha is best brewed using water that has boiled and then let sit for a few moments until it has cooled to roughly 180°F/82°C, (about 2-3 minutes). This allows for immediate consumption after brewing when the tea is at its peak flavor. As well, it is a good idea to sift Matcha through a tea strainer so that it will not form lumps when hot water is added.