Our Pick: Twinings
Check price →Twinings vs Bigelow Earl Grey: Which Bergamot Wins? (2026)
The two Earl Greys on every American supermarket shelf, brewed side by side: bergamot strength, the base tea underneath, how each takes milk and lemon, and which is the better buy per bag.
By Justin Park · ~6 min read · Updated 2026-08-23
★ Our Top Pick
Best classic Earl Grey
The reference Earl Grey: floral bergamot over a soft, clean black base.
Not sure yet? Compare all 4 picks below ↓
Short version: buy Twinings Earl Grey if you want the classic: a lighter, more floral bergamot over a soft black base that is the reference most people have in their head when they think of Earl Grey. Buy Bigelow Earl Grey if you want a bolder, more citrus-forward cup with a stronger black tea underneath, if you take milk, or if you want the cheaper 100-count box: Bigelow wins on price and punch, Twinings on finesse.
These two own the Earl Grey aisle in the US. Twinings is the London house that has sold Earl Grey since the 1830s; Bigelow is the Connecticut family company whose Earl Grey has been a top seller since the 1970s. We brewed both at 3 and 5 minutes, plain, with lemon, with milk, and iced, and compared bergamot intensity, base tea quality, and bag construction.
| Round | Twinings Earl Grey | Bigelow Earl Grey | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bergamot character | Lighter, floral, classic | Bolder, brighter citrus | Twinings (classic) / Bigelow (punch) |
| Base black tea and milk | Soft, thin-ish base; better plain or with lemon | Stronger base; stands up to milk | Bigelow |
| Price and packaging | Around 12-14 cents a bag (100 count), wrapped | Around 10-12 cents a bag (100 count), foil-wrapped | Bigelow |
Twinings vs Bigelow Earl Grey by the cup.
The short version
- <strong>Plain or with lemon:</strong> Twinings. The floral bergamot and soft base are the textbook Earl Grey.
- <strong>With milk:</strong> Bigelow. The stronger black tea holds up where Twinings gets washed out.
- <strong>Bergamot strength:</strong> Bigelow is louder; if you find Earl Grey too perfumed, Twinings is the gentler one.
- <strong>Freshness:</strong> Bigelow's individual foil pouches keep the bergamot aroma longer than Twinings' paper envelopes.
- <strong>Price:</strong> Bigelow's 100-count is usually a dollar or two cheaper; Twinings Lady Grey is the pick if you want a lighter citrus cup.
| Tea | Best for | Character | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twinings Earl Grey, 100 ct | The classic cup, plain or with lemon | Floral bergamot, soft base | 100 wrapped bags |
| Bigelow Earl Grey, 100 ct | A bold cup, with milk | Bright citrus, stronger base | 100 foil-wrapped bags |
| Bigelow Earl Grey, 20 ct | Trying Bigelow first | Same blend, small box | 20 foil-wrapped bags |
| Twinings Lady Grey, 100 ct | A lighter citrus Earl Grey | Orange and lemon peel, gentle bergamot | 100 wrapped bags |
The Earl Greys worth buying from each brand.
01 · Best classic Earl Grey
Winner: ClassicTwinings Earl Grey Black Tea Bags, 100 Count
The reference Earl Grey: floral bergamot over a soft, clean black base.
Origin & grade: Twinings of London; black tea with natural bergamot flavouring; individually wrapped.
Twinings Earl Grey is balanced toward the bergamot. At 3 minutes it is light, fragrant, and slightly sweet; at 5 it gains some tannin but never much body, because the base blend is a soft, light black tea. That is exactly what makes it the classic afternoon cup and exactly why it disappears under milk. Iced with a slice of lemon it is excellent.
Bags are paper-wrapped rather than foil, and the bergamot does fade over a few months once the box is open, so buy the 100-count only if you drink it regularly.
- Type
- Black tea with bergamot
- Caffeine
- Around 40 mg per cup
- Bag
- Standard, individually wrapped
- Best
- Plain, lemon, iced
- Origin
- Blended in the UK
What we like
- Classic floral bergamot
- Clean, smooth plain
- Great iced with lemon
- Widely available
Worth noting
- Washes out with milk
- Aroma fades in paper wraps
Who should buy it: Anyone who drinks Earl Grey plain or with lemon, and anyone who wants the traditional, gentler style.
What we don't like: Thin with milk, and the paper envelopes let the aroma fade faster than Bigelow's foil.
Bottom line: Twinings is the Earl Grey most people are picturing. The bergamot is floral rather than sharp and the base tea stays out of the way, which makes it lovely plain or with lemon and a little thin with milk.
02 · Best bold Earl Grey and best with milk
Winner: With milk
Bigelow Earl Grey Black Tea Bags, 100 Count
Brighter bergamot, stronger base, foil-wrapped: the better milk cup and the cheaper box.
Origin & grade: Bigelow Tea, family-owned, blended in Fairfield, Connecticut; Kosher; individually foil-wrapped.
Bigelow Earl Grey brews a darker, heavier cup than Twinings. The bergamot reads as bright citrus peel rather than flowers and the black tea underneath has real grip, so a splash of milk produces a proper Earl Grey latte-ish mug instead of a grey one. Plain, some tasters found it a touch sharp at 5 minutes; 3 minutes is the sweet spot.
Each bag is sealed in its own foil pouch, which is why an open Bigelow box still smells like bergamot three months on. The 100-count is usually the cheapest Earl Grey per bag from a major brand.
- Type
- Black tea with bergamot
- Caffeine
- Around 30-50 mg per cup
- Bag
- Standard, foil-wrapped
- Best
- Milk, strong cup
- Origin
- Blended in Connecticut, USA
What we like
- Bold citrus bergamot
- Stands up to milk
- Foil pouches keep it fresh
- Cheapest per bag
Worth noting
- Sharper plain
- Less delicate than Twinings
Who should buy it: Milk drinkers, anyone who finds Twinings too delicate, and anyone buying in bulk.
What we don't like: Can be sharp plain at a long steep; less of the floral finesse.
Bottom line: Bigelow's Earl Grey is louder in every direction: more citrus, more tea, more tannin. With milk that is an advantage, and the foil pouches keep the bag tasting like the first one to the last.
03 · Best way to try Bigelow
Also Great
Bigelow Earl Grey Black Tea, 20 Count
The same blend in a small box; the cheap way to settle this argument yourself.
Origin & grade: Same Bigelow Earl Grey blend, 20 foil-wrapped bags.
The 20-count Bigelow Earl Grey is the same foil-wrapped bag and costs a little more per bag than the big box, which is the only reason not to buy it once you know you like it.
- Type
- Black tea with bergamot
- Caffeine
- Around 30-50 mg per cup
- Bag
- Standard, foil-wrapped
- Best
- Trial box
What we like
- Cheap to try
- Same blend as the big box
Worth noting
- Costs more per bag
Who should buy it: First-timers and occasional Earl Grey drinkers.
What we don't like: Higher per-bag cost than the 100-count.
Bottom line: If you are undecided, this is the box to buy: twenty bags for a few dollars, identical tea to the 100-count.
04 · Best lighter, citrus-forward alternative
Also Great
Twinings Lady Grey Black Tea Bags, 100 Count
Earl Grey's gentler sibling: orange and lemon peel with a lighter bergamot.
Origin & grade: Twinings of London; black tea with orange peel, lemon peel, and bergamot flavouring.
Twinings Lady Grey is a Twinings invention from the 1990s and it is the most approachable tea in this comparison: bright, orangey, and light. It is not a substitute for a proper bergamot hit, but it converts people who thought they disliked Earl Grey.
- Type
- Black tea with citrus peel and bergamot
- Caffeine
- Around 40 mg per cup
- Bag
- Standard, individually wrapped
- Best
- Plain, afternoon
What we like
- Bright and approachable
- Lovely iced
Worth noting
- Mild bergamot
- Most expensive per bag
Who should buy it: Anyone who finds classic Earl Grey too floral or too strong.
What we don't like: Light on bergamot by design; the priciest box here.
Bottom line: If Bigelow is too loud and Twinings Earl Grey is still too perfumed, Lady Grey is the answer: citrus peel does most of the work and the bergamot is turned down.
Bergamot: floral versus citrus
Earl Grey is black tea flavoured with oil of bergamot, a bitter orange, and the two brands interpret it differently. Twinings leans floral and soft, a perfume rather than a fruit; Bigelow leans bright and zesty, closer to the peel. Neither is wrong. If you want the cup that tastes like the Earl Grey in a British hotel, that is Twinings. If you want a cup that announces itself, that is Bigelow.
The base tea, and why milk decides it
Under the bergamot, Twinings uses a light, smooth black blend and Bigelow a stronger, more tannic one. Plain, that makes Twinings the more elegant cup. With milk the balance flips completely: Twinings turns pale and vague, Bigelow stays a proper tea with bergamot on top. This was the clearest result of the whole test, and it is the simplest way to choose.
Price, freshness, caffeine
Bigelow's 100-count runs around $11 to $13 at time of writing and Twinings' around $12 to $14, so Bigelow is a cent or two cheaper per bag. Bigelow's foil pouches also keep the bergamot aroma noticeably longer than Twinings' paper envelopes, which matters in a box you will take three months to finish. Caffeine is similar, roughly 30 to 50 mg per cup, and both brands sell decaf Earl Grey. Our best Earl Grey tea guide ranks both against Harney, Stash, and Taylors.
Which should you buy?
Buy Twinings Earl Grey if you drink it plain or with lemon and want the classic floral style.
Buy Bigelow Earl Grey if you take milk, like a bolder bergamot, or want the cheaper, fresher-keeping box. For the brands as a whole, see Bigelow vs Twinings, and our Twinings review and Bigelow review cover every blend.
Questions, answered
Is Twinings or Bigelow Earl Grey better?
Twinings is the better classic Earl Grey, with a floral bergamot over a soft black base that shines plain or with lemon. Bigelow is bolder and more citrusy with a stronger base, so it is the better cup with milk and the cheaper box. Which is better depends on how you drink it.
Which Earl Grey has more bergamot, Twinings or Bigelow?
Bigelow tastes stronger in bergamot, though it reads as bright citrus rather than the floral note Twinings has. If you find Earl Grey too perfumed, Twinings is the gentler of the two, and Twinings Lady Grey is gentler still.
Which is better with milk, Twinings or Bigelow Earl Grey?
Bigelow. Its base black tea is stronger and holds up under milk; Twinings Earl Grey goes pale and thin with milk and is best drunk plain or with lemon.
Is Bigelow Earl Grey cheaper than Twinings?
Usually, yes. Bigelow's 100-count box is typically a dollar or two cheaper than Twinings' 100-count on Amazon, roughly 10 to 12 cents a bag against 12 to 14, and Bigelow's foil pouches keep the tea fresher once opened.
How much caffeine is in Twinings and Bigelow Earl Grey?
Both are around 30 to 50 mg per cup, similar to any black tea bag, depending on steep time. Both brands sell a decaffeinated Earl Grey with only trace caffeine.