Russian Earl Grey takes classic bergamot-scented Earl Grey and builds on it with extra citrus peel and often a touch of warming spice, making for a bolder, more layered cup than the original.
Despite the name, it isn’t a traditional Russian recipe. Like Russian Caravan, the name is a Western tea-blending convention that nods to the historic Russian taste for stronger, more heavily spiced black tea, shaped by the same overland trade routes that once carried tea from China through Russia. The base is a robust black tea, often Keemun or Assam, scented with bergamot oil as in standard Earl Grey, then layered with additions like orange or lemon peel, and sometimes clove, cinnamon, or lemongrass, for extra depth and warmth.
The result is less delicate than a classic Earl Grey: bigger citrus notes up front, a fuller body from the black tea base, and a warmer, more complex finish if spice is part of the blend. It steeps the same way as any black tea, so no special brewing adjustments are needed.
