Trader Joe's Earl Grey de La Creme Loose Leaf Black Tea Blend

It seems that Trader Joe's has heard my cry for loose leaf tea. If I'm not mistaken, TJ's hasn't released many versions of loose leaf tea. Finally, something "real tea drinkers" (I'm not. Biodegradable tea bags are wonderful) can appreciate. And can I just say America needs to adopt some version of afternoon tea? The British have it. The Chinese have it. We should have it too.

I picked this up in earl grey and left the lemon/mint variety on the shelf. Earl grey (I keep typing it as early grey!) is one of my favorites. It's strong, a little earthy but gently floral, and goes wonderfully in a latte with tapioca pearls (#TeamGongcha forever). I hesitated to pick this up until I calculated that the price per ounce is about comparable to any old TJ's box tea (which will run you somewhere from $2-$3).

Already I see things that make me raise my eyebrows - both of them because I don't have that muscle control to raise just one, hah. What is "dried sunflower" and "dried cornflower" and what are they doing in cahoots with that vanilla bean in my tea? Is that a British thing I don't know about? Or is this some TJ's boardroom nonsense? Someone please enlighten me. 

I brewed it in my French press per package directions because I don't have a tea pot or an infuser (tells you what kind of tea drinker I am :P).  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get over the smell. It’s not entirely unpleasant - I just find it a little weird. It smells like typical earl grey but with some added sweetness. Not quite citrus but certainly something fruity and definitely something vanilla-y. I’m all for trying new flavor combinations but in this case, it seems extra in a gaudy way. My brain doesn’t quite know what to do with the smell. Perhaps it would work in a dessert or something but I personally find it rather off-putting in this tea.

It tastes fine when piping hot. Then again, most drinks I find more tolerable when that hot because once it cools you can taste the chaos more clearly. Although some people might actually like this, the fruity vanilla combo with a classic earl grey isn’t a combo that works for me. Too much dissonance. It doesn't taste cohesive and it's kind of aesthetically all over the place. Call me a wannabe tea snob, but every time I take a whiff and sip, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed at what this tea could have been.

But I'll still finish it. It isn't horrible but I'm not clamoring to repurchase. Waiting patiently for that winter wake up to come back, if it is in fact returning. 

TL;DR: Trader Joe's Earl Grey de La Crème Loose Leaf Black Tea Blend. It is not la crème. More like le chaos. 5 out of 10.