Earl Grey might be the most famous flavoured tea in the world, and yet two things about it surprise almost everyone: nobody quite agrees on where it came from, and there is no such thing as the recipe. I am Valerie, a Tea Sommelier, and over the years I have ended up making a whole small family of Earl Greys. So let me tell you the story, explain why there can be so many versions, and help you work out which one is yours.

Where Earl Grey came from (or, the version I was told)

First, the man, because Earl Grey was a real person. He was Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, a Northumberland aristocrat who served as British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834. He is best remembered for the Great Reform Act of 1832, which began the long modernising of who could vote, and for the abolition of slavery across the British Empire, both passed by his government. The family seat, Howick Hall, still stands in Northumberland today. It is his name the tea carries.

As for how it came to carry it, here is my honest disclaimer: there are several competing stories about how Earl Grey came to exist, and we will never really know which is true. You will read that it was a gift, an accident, a diplomatic present from China; the tales don't agree, and most are impossible to prove.

But a few years ago I met a descendant of Earl Grey, who told me the family version, and I rather love it, so here it is. As the story goes, a cook in the Grey household had a fondness for experimenting, particularly with cakes and afternoon tea. One day the cook added bergamot to the tea. The Earl was so taken with it that when he later moved to London for parliamentary business, he had the recipe sent to Twinings to blend for him. Twinings went on to sell it more widely, always calling it Earl Grey's blend, and the name simply stuck. True or embellished by a couple of centuries of retelling, I couldn't say. But it is a lovely thought to have in mind while the kettle boils.

Earl Grey is a style, not a recipe

This is the key that unlocks everything. The one thing every Earl Grey in the world has in common is bergamot, a small, fragrant citrus fruit grown mostly in southern Italy, whose oil is used to scent the tea. That is the whole definition. It is not tied to a particular tea, a particular country, or a particular strength.

Everything else, the base tea, whether it leans creamy or zesty, whether there is vanilla or citrus or lemongrass in the mix, is entirely down to the blender. That is why Earl Grey is better thought of as a style than a recipe, in the same way that "curry" or "a Sunday roast" describes an idea rather than one fixed set of instructions. And it is exactly why I have been able to build a family of them, each pulling the same starting point in a different direction.

Which brings us to the fun part.

Which Earl Grey are you?

Six teas, one fragrant idea. Here is how I would steer you.

If you want the classic, comforting one: Earl Grey. Creamy and rounded, built on a Ceylon black tea with a touch of vanilla. This is our version of the traditional cup, the one that takes milk beautifully. If you are a milk-in-your-tea person, start here.

If you love the bergamot itself: Himalayan Earl Grey. Brighter and more openly fragrant, built on high-grown black teas from Darjeeling and Nepal, with a more forward bergamot to match that lighter, more refined base. Best without milk, so the citrus and the high-grown character can shine. This is the bergamot-lover's Earl Grey.

If you like it light and zesty: Countess Grey. The same Ceylon-and-bergamot foundation, lifted with Thai lemongrass and citrus peel for a fresh, zingy, altogether lighter cup. An elegant afternoon sort of tea, and the one to reach for if a standard Earl Grey ever feels a touch heavy.

If you are cutting back on caffeine: Decaf Earl Grey Organic. A proper Earl Grey for the evening or the afternoon-onwards crowd, decaffeinated by the gentle CO2 method that keeps the flavour and leaves no chemical aftertaste, on a strong organic Ceylon base so there is plenty of character left. One honest note: decaffeinated is not quite the same as caffeine-free; a tiny trace always remains, far less than a normal cup, but not zero.

If you are a green tea drinker: Earl Green Organic. Here the bergamot goes over an organic green tea base instead of black, for something lighter, fresher and grassier, with a bright citrus lift. It bridges two worlds nicely: an Earl Grey for green tea lovers, and a gentle way in for Earl Grey drinkers who fancy something lighter. Remember it wants cooler water than the others (more on that below).

And one honorary member: Orange Blossom Oolong. Strictly speaking this is not an Earl Grey at all, but it belongs in the conversation, because it is the tea I most often hand to an Earl Grey drinker who wants a change. It is floral rather than citrusy, orange blossom rather than bergamot, over a smooth oolong base. If you love the idea of a fragrant, aromatic cup but fancy stepping sideways, this is your tea.

A quick word on brewing (they are not all the same)

Most of these are black teas, so they take water straight off the boil (100°C) for around three minutes, and the black ones are best judged by taste rather than a stopwatch. Two exceptions are worth remembering. The Decaf brews much like the black ones. But the Earl Green wants cooler water, around 80°C, because boiling water scorches green tea and turns it bitter; let the kettle sit for a minute before you pour, and give it just two minutes.

On milk: the classic and the decaf, with their robust Ceylon bases, are happy with or without. The Himalayan, Countess and Earl Green are all best without, so nothing muddies the bergamot or the citrus. As ever, though, it is your cup; take it how you like it.

Find yours

That is the whole family: one fragrant idea, pulled six different ways. If you already know your type, wonderful. If you don't, the loveliest way to find out is to try a few side by side and see which one you keep reaching for, which is exactly why I put together the Earl Grey Edit: all five Earl Greys plus the Orange Blossom Oolong, six little tins to taste your way through. Or browse the full Earl Grey collection to go straight to whichever has caught your eye.

Whichever you land on, I hope it becomes a proper favourite.

— Valerie, Tea Sommelier