A food writer has named Clipper Organic and Fairtrade English Breakfast Tea as the best traditional black tea, outperforming household names like Yorkshire Tea, PG Tips, and Twinings. Tomé Morrissy-Swan tested 18 readily available brands for the i newspaper, brewing each with freshly drawn water left to cool slightly after boiling, steeping for four minutes, and tasting black without milk.
PG Tips, often considered the quintessential British black tea, scored poorly with a rating of 2.5 out of five. Morrissy-Swan described it as an "unsubtle" brew that tasted "bitter and astringent." Twinings English Breakfast Tea also disappointed, being characterised as "rather one-note, with a bitter astringency." Tetley's Everyday teabags finished near the bottom, with a harsh flavour that lacked depth.
Yorkshire Tea, which has a loyal following and celebrity fans including Russell Crowe and Patrick Stewart, was described as "well-balanced, even if it's not quite spectacular." Duchy Organic Everyday Tea, from the brand established by King Charles, received a similarly average rating, noted as "nice, but not 'wow'" despite its higher price of £3.50 for 100 bags.
The winning tea, Clipper's Organic and Fairtrade English Breakfast Tea, costs £2.80 for 40 bags and is widely available at major supermarkets including Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Co-op, and Morrisons, as well as online through Amazon. Morrissy-Swan praised its flavour as "well-rounded, a hint of lemon, a touch of toffee, a little bitterness, and the right astringency."
The article also notes that drinking tea without milk maximises health benefits, as milk proteins can bind to beneficial compounds, reducing their positive effects on cardiovascular health and antioxidant absorption.
