Differences Between English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Chai, and Other Black Tea Blends
All true tea comes from the same species of plant, Camellia sinensis, but the differences in processing methods are what distinguish teas as white, green, oolong, or black. To produce black tea, dried leaves are allowed to oxidize longer than the other types of tea. The result is a dark, and tannin-rich brew.
Still today, there are social, economic, and cultural remnants of centuries of British trade, colonialism, and slavery in South Asia. Though some of those lasting effects are undeniably unjust, it’s more difficult to judge the morality of the mutual influence that resulted between British and Asian tea cultures. Britain learned to produce and drink tea from Asia, but tea drinking — especially with milk and sugar added — didn’t become widely popular in South Asia until after it had become popular in Britain.
Most black tea varieties are named for the place where they are grown. Common varieties include Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon, for example. The pure black teas are often blended in different combinations or enhanced with other non-tea ingredients to produce dynamic tastes, and certain blends have specific names. We’ve put together this guide to help you understand the differences among them.
English breakfast
English breakfast tea is a blend of Assam and Ceylon teas. Other black teas are sometimes also included, such as Kenyan or certain varieties from China. Each retailer’s English breakfast tea might taste distinct depending on the tea’s estate, the quality of the leaves, the ratio of each tea in the blend, and other factors.
Irish breakfast
Irish breakfast tea is a blend of the same teas as English breakfast, but its composition is heavier with Assam. This gives Irish breakfast tea an even bolder, deeper taste than English breakfast.
Scottish breakfast
Scottish breakfast tea is made with the same blend of teas as English breakfast and Irish breakfast, but it has the heaviest Assam component of the three and therefore is generally considered the strongest among the breakfast teas.
Earl Grey
Earl Grey is any black tea fragranced with the essence of bergamot, a citrus fruit. Earl Grey is usually made with Ceylon tea, but it could be any black tea. There are also Earl Grey blends made with green or rooibos teas instead of black, but they are not nearly as common.
Chai
Chai is black tea brewed with spices, which could include ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and others. The combination and ratio of spices vary broadly by region and even more specifically by the preferences of the individual preparer.