earl grey is named after its english benefactor, charles earl grey, who for a short time served as prime Minister under King william IV. the unusual flavoring that makes earl grey so special is the oil of bergamot. bergamot comes from the turkish word for "princes pear" and describes a pear shaped citrus that is grown around the Mediterranean. the oil is pressed from the rind and is used for perfume as well as earl grey tea. we take the concentration of this exotic flavor and blend it with mild teas of china and sri lanka. this gourmet Black tea is in loose leaf form and will ship with a free tea ball infuser. limit one free infuser per order.