TEA OF POSSIBILITY *Our current batch of this popular tea tastes & looks different than usual. The vanilla is softer, but also slightly sweeter & has a more creamy, almost milk-like, taste. The bergamot notes are more lemony & have stronger lavender-like floral notes. The dry tea leaves are also smaller, but a bit puffier in visual appearance. Premium quality, organic tea is like fine wine—it changes from batch to batch & season to season. Rainfall patterns & temperature variations cause changes to the taste of ingredients, & to the appearance of tea leaves. This is a plus overall, because it reflects a high quality, fresh, seasonal product grown in harmony with nature, & showcases the use of natural ingredients. We do not use any artificial flavourings. However, this batch of LONDON FOG has much more significant change than previous batches. The key factor responsible for this is climate change. Rising heat levels & stronger dry spells followed by unusually heavy rains are fundamentally altering the taste of ingredients, as well as the appearance of tea leaves. Plants are being subjected to severe stresses as they respond to these unusual climatic conditions, & that ends up being reflected in the taste & visual appearance of the tea leaves. Vanilla & bergamot, both of which are key ingredients in this blend, are both experiencing profound changes in their taste as a result of climate change. For over a decade, we've been hearing from farmers about increasing difficulties due to climate change, & observing significant changes in tea's taste & leaf appearance. Differences from harvest to harvest used to be subtle. However, the longer-term effects of increasingly extreme weather patterns are causing the differences to become even more pronounced. If you love this tea & purchase it regularly, we recommend purchasing a smaller quantity of this batch, in case it's not your cup of tea! As tea is a food product, it is not refundable, so it's best to stock up once you know for sure you're a fan of this batch. We will continue to update this page with details about how future batches of this tea taste. Check back to find out more about how the next batch tastes, once it is available. In the event you fall in love with this version, we recommend purchasing more soon, as climate change is having unpredictable effects on harvests, so we don't yet know what the next batch will reveal in terms of aroma & taste. We are not in a position to offer free samples at this time, but if you'd like to try it before you buy a larger quantity, a mini-tin is a great trial size to purchase for only $4.99. The history behind this blend: we are renowned for our LONDON FOG TEA, made with the highest quality natural, organic ingredients. Nowadays, most teas that contain vanilla use artificial vanilla extract. Nowadays, it's also very rare to encounter Earl Grey tea made without the use of artificial flavours, as artificial flavours have become the norm in the tea industry. This is because artificial flavours are cheaper & result in a more consistent taste, but they have a higher carbon footprint & may also have some unexpected side effects. In our view (& that of our many loyal clients), artificial flavouring doesn't compare to the taste of real bergamot & vanilla. Many clients also report that they don't react well to artificial flavours & there is increasing concern about the potential health impacts of artificial flavours. The other downside of artificial flavours is that they don't appear to contain the benefits of real ingredients. Real vanilla & bergamot have been linked to natural mood boosting & stress relieving qualities. What makes our LONDON FOG TEA unique & special is that we use the highest quality vanilla, bergamot & black tea, masterfully blended together to create the most peak taste possible, based on what mother nature provides us with. flavour profile: classic bergamot with a smooth vanilla note ingredients: Ceylon black tea, vanilla beans, vanilla & bergamot fruit essence also available in loose tea
