London Calling: An Earl Great London Fog

Part tea, part latte, entirely worth making.

A London Fog combines fragrant Earl Grey, vanilla and warm milk to create a smooth, creamy brew with unmistakable café energy. Earl Great brings its own twist to the classic: bright bergamot, juicy blackcurrant and a delicate touch of rose.

Add vanilla, pour over frothed milk and suddenly the weather outside feels almost beside the point.

Make your Earl Great London Fog

1. Add Earl Great to 150ml of freshly boiled water and brew for the time recommended on the pack.

2. While the tea brews, gently heat the milk in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling.

3. Strain the tea, then stir the vanilla syrup directly into it. If using vanilla extract instead, add it with a little sugar or honey.

4. Froth the warm milk using a handheld frother, whisk or French press.

5. Pour the milk slowly into the vanilla-infused tea, then spoon the remaining foam over the top.

6. Finish with a little dried rose, grated nutmeg or a twist of orange peel if you’re feeling fancy.

7. Serve immediately and enjoy your brief but convincing transformation into someone who has a favourite table at a very good café.

Why Earl Great?

Bergamot gives Earl Great the fragrant citrus character a London Fog needs, but the blackcurrant and rose take it somewhere much more interesting.

The blackcurrant adds juicy depth and a gentle tartness that cuts through the creamy milk and sweet vanilla. It keeps the latte bright rather than allowing it to become overly sweet or heavy.

Rose brings a delicate floral aroma that lifts the bergamot and gives the finished drink a more elegant, fragrant finish. It should never taste like perfume—just like your London Fog has made slightly more effort than everyone else’s.

Put the vanilla in the tea

Stir the vanilla into the freshly brewed tea before adding the milk. This distributes it evenly and lets it become part of the flavour rather than disappearing somewhere beneath the foam.

Vanilla syrup is the easiest option because it adds flavour and sweetness in one move. Start with one teaspoon, taste and add more if needed.

If you’re using vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon is plenty. Add a little sugar or honey alongside it, as extract brings the aroma of vanilla without the sweetness.

Vanilla should round out the bergamot and berries—not make the mug taste like a scented candle.

Brew it bold

Milk and vanilla both soften the tea, so Earl Great needs to be brewed more strongly than it would be for an ordinary cup.

Use more tea in less water while keeping to the recommended brewing time. This creates a concentrated base with enough black tea, fruit and bergamot flavour to hold its own once the milk arrives.

A London Fog should be creamy, but it should still taste unmistakably like tea.

Make it hot or iced

For an iced London Fog, brew Earl Great using the same strong ratio, stir in the vanilla and leave it to cool completely.

Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in the chilled tea and top with cold milk. Froth the milk first if you want a soft layer of cold foam—or simply pour and get on with drinking it.

Same bergamot, berries and vanilla. Considerably less knitwear required.

Bergamot. Blackcurrant. Rose. Vanilla. This is London Fog with a little more going on.