Calling all lovers of Earl Grey tea – here is your chance to select a brand new Twinings Earl Grey blend especially for New Zealand.
The Twinings Earl Grey Taste-Off will run from November 7 - December 5, travelling from the top to the bottom of New Zealand in a colourful custom vehicle, allowing all Kiwis along the route to sample four different variations of the Twinings classic Earl Grey tea and vote for their favourite, to be launched in 2012.
Twinings has been blending the original Earl Grey since 1831 (at the behest of the English Prime Minister, Charles Grey), and the distinct citrusy tea has become a favourite across the globe, including New Zealand.
The experts at Twinings are always at work. They have created four new Earl Grey blends they think New Zealanders will like, but they want to know which one is our favourite. In other words, we get to choose our own. Lovers of the original Earl Grey mustn’t panic however – the new blend is very much going to be an addition to the Twinings New Zealand family. It certainly won’t replace it.
New Zealanders can also order sample kits and vote at www.earlgrey.co.nz. The travelling Taste-Off team will be updating Facebook and the website regularly to let locals know where they’re going to be, and also keeping you informed of which blend is in the lead. The most popular blend will be announced at the completion of the trip, and will then become New Zealand’s very own Earl Grey blend.
Twinings was the first company to blend Earl Grey. In 1831, one of Earl Charles Grey’s employees rescued the Chinese Mandarin’s son from drowning, and to show his gratitude, the Mandarin gave the Prime Minister a unique blend of tea.
Everyone loved the tea’s unique taste. So, before it ran out, Grey asked his tea merchant, Richard Twining, to recreate it for him. And the rest is history: more than 200 years later, Twinings’ Earl Grey range is still the only one to be approved by the current Earl, Earl Grey VI, who lends his signature to each box.
“As Earl Grey is one of the most popular teas around the world, we are delighted that our blend carries this exclusive endorsement,” says Stephen Twining, 10th generation of the Twinings family.
“However, as with all great recipes, there can be variations on a theme, and our experts are convinced they have come up with some blends that New Zealanders will love. No existing blends are being replaced, but New Zealand has a very distinctive palate and passion for tea, so I think it is a terrific idea that they are being asked to vote for their favourite to ensure they receive a special blend that’s just right for them.”
Twinings Earl Grey is a blend of fine black teas, delicately scented with bergamot and Seville orange. The new Earl Grey blend will have a similar profile, but with a special twist that Kiwis themselves will have selected as their favourite.
For more information, visit www.earlgrey.co.nz or www.facebook.com/twiningsnz.