Tea Review: Tetley Tea

Tetley Tea

Classic Blend

Hi! I'm working solo today. Well, sort of, I have support from the camera crew. (giggles) Today I want to look at a popular tea you can find in your grocery store - the tiny little tea leaves. That's right, Tetley.

Tetley mentions five blends on their website. We found the classic black in our grocery store. You might be able to find British; green; black and green; iced tea; and, of course, decaffeinated. These three are recommended on the back of the classic box.

The box contains 48 unwrapped tea bags. That means if you leave them like this they could lose flavor intensity over time. Or worse, take on flavors from other things.

If your tea is unwrapped or in a paper wrapper, the best thing to do is put all the bags in an airtight container (FAQ What is the best way to store tea?). You can use an empty tea tin or Tupperware canister or a mason jar.

Tea bags are pre-measured so you can put it right in your cup or mug. I'm using the glass pot so you can see the color.

Put the bag in the pot, pour over the boiling water, and set the timer. You can steep as few as 3 minutes or as long as 5. I'm going for 4 minutes. 

It's already starting to give off a lovely color.
(timer beeping)
Done! Look at that lovely dark, amber, brown color!

It smells nice, but not floral, fruity, or overly malty. Just a nice combination. 

And now you see why I only did 4 minutes on the timer...I still have the bag in, so now it's been 5 minutes. (giggles) Remove the bag - squeeze all the liquid out if you want to; I did. I'm going to try it clear first; that's nothing added or plain.

Mmm, nice. Not weak. Not too strong. Not bitter. Full body. I wonder what it would be like with some agave syrup?

Oops! Too much agave. (giggles) Made it really sweet and the flavors shifted...it's a little more floral now. Time to try milk and sugar.

Very good!

Overall, you can't go wrong with this tea. It holds its own with additions and can also be enjoyed plain.

I'm looking forward to trying to make iced tea with it when the temperatures get warmer. Hope you enjoyed, my review.

Xyra's Review

I grew up drinking another brand and always thought Tetley was kind of bland in comparison. I still find it to be a bit bland, but that is because my tea preferences include British, Irish, Scottish blends and Earl Grey. According to the Tetley website, the classic blend sold in the US is more mild than the blends offered in Canada and the UK (FAQ Is the Tetley I buy in the US, the same as the Tetley in Canada or the UK?) 

The Tetley classic blend provides a nice cup of tea whose flavor and body pairs well with those who like it with or without milk. Plus if you want sweet tea, you can choose you favorite sweetener. It's a well rounded tea for any occasion. Quite enjoyable.

Best wishes,


Note: Tea Time with Melody Q is not affiliated with American Girl or Tetley Tea. The tea reviewed today was purchased at our local market. The above review is unsolicited and reflects our own opinions.  All links provided are for educational and informative purposes; no purchase is required.