# Why Do They Put Bergamot In Earl Grey Tea?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-put-bergamot-in-earl-grey-tea/941081>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 30, 2021, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-put-bergamot-in-earl-grey-tea/941081 "2021-04-30T01:26:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-put-bergamot-in-earl-grey-tea/941081/21 "2021-04-30T19:06:22Z")

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That’s essentially what I was going to say. Bergamot is the defining factor that makes it Earl Grey Tea, instead of just black tea.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-put-bergamot-in-earl-grey-tea/941081/22 "2021-04-30T19:08:44Z")

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🙏 thanks, I was enjoying reading about bergamot, but hey.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-put-bergamot-in-earl-grey-tea/941081/23 "2021-04-30T19:15:43Z")

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I’m most curious about the Earl Grey IPA myself! 🕶

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-put-bergamot-in-earl-grey-tea/941081/24 "2021-04-30T20:21:57Z")

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> [@Jim\_B](#):
>
> What is the purpose of adding Bergamot to the Black Tea to begin with? And where did the tradition originate, for that matter? Did a man named Earl Grey have anything to do with it? I’m serious.
> 
> 🙂

The purpose of putting oil of bergamot in Earl Grey tea is to give it the aroma and flavor of oil of bergamot. Without it. It would just be plain black tea.

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