The Stash Premium Earl Grey 100-bag box is the surprise upset of our 2026 Earl Grey panel. Seven weeks of morning brewing across home and a four-person office tea drawer, and the Stash bergamot is more present than the current Twinings 50-count at less than half the cost-per-cup. This is now our default office Earl Grey, with Harney Supreme reserved for guests.
Why you should trust this review
Our reviewer drinks Earl Grey four mornings a week and has cycled through Twinings, Harney Supreme, Republic of Tea, and three different supermarket house-brand Earl Greys over the past two years. The boxes here were purchased at retail from Amazon. Stash did not provide samples or compensate for this review.
We brewed every bag at four minutes with freshly boiled water, ran a four-person taste panel against Twinings and Harney Supreme, and tracked bergamot intensity across the seven-week life of an opened box. Read our methodology page for the standardized cupping protocol.
How we tested Stash Premium Earl Grey
- Brewed one cup daily for seven weeks across home and office settings
- Ran a four-person blind taste panel against Twinings Earl Grey 50-count and Harney Supreme
- Logged bergamot intensity at week 1, week 4, and week 7 of an opened box
- Tested as a London Fog base with steamed whole milk and vanilla syrup
- Measured cost per cup at the current Amazon 100-count price
Who should buy Stash Premium Earl Grey?
Buy if: You want a bergamot-forward Earl Grey at pantry pricing and you keep your tea in a sealed tin once the box is opened. Buy if you brew London Fogs and want a base that holds up to milk.
Skip if: You want a malty Assam-leaning Earl Grey, the Stash base is a brighter medium-bodied Indian-Sri Lankan blend. Also skip if you only drink Earl Grey occasionally and prefer foil-wrapped sachets for maximum freshness, the Stash box is uncoated paper bags with no envelopes.
Bergamot character: the unexpected winner
In a blind four-panelist tasting, Stash Premium scored higher on bergamot brightness than the current Twinings 50-count by a clear margin. The bergamot oil is layered through the leaf cut rather than sprayed on top, and the citrus front carries from the dry-leaf aroma through to the finish. This is the bergamot you remember from older premium Earl Greys before grocery flavoring profiles got muted.
Base tea quality: clean and dark
The base is a blend of Indian and Sri Lankan black teas, leaning more toward Ceylon brightness than Assam malt. At four minutes the cup is dark amber, clean on the front, and finishes without the astringent grip that turns weaker Earl Greys chalky. With milk and sugar the bergamot still cuts through, which is the test London Fog drinkers care about.
Bag quality and freshness
The bags are uncoated paper with a cotton string and a printed paper tag. There is no individual envelope and no plastic, which keeps cost down and the bags compostable. The trade-off is freshness, bergamot oils are volatile and fade faster than the underlying black tea. At week one the dry-bag aroma is intense citrus, by week seven in an open box it has dropped noticeably. Transfer to an airtight tin and the full 24 months of shelf life is recoverable.
Milk compatibility and London Fog use
Two Stash bags steeped four minutes in 12 ounces of water, topped with equal parts steamed whole milk and half a teaspoon of vanilla syrup, produces a London Fog that rivals coffeeshop versions. The bergamot survives the milk dilution where weaker grocery Earl Greys vanish. For straight cups with a splash of milk, one bag at four minutes is enough.
Value: where Stash wins on the math
At about $7 for 100 bags the cost-per-cup is 7 cents, less than half what the Twinings 50-count delivers and a tenth of what Harney Supreme costs per sachet. For office tea drawers, this is the right Earl Grey to stock. Harney Supreme stays on the personal shelf for weekend brewing.
Value
At $7 the Stash Premium Earl Grey Black Tea is the right Grocery in 2026.
Stash Premium Earl Grey Black Tea (100 Tea Bags) vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Bags | Bergamot strength | Cost per cup | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stash Premium Earl Grey 100-Bag | ★★★★★ 4.6 | 100 | High | $0.07 | $7 | Top Pick |
| Twinings Earl Grey 50-Bag | ★★★★★ 4.5 | 50 | Medium | $0.18 | $9 | Classic alternative |
| Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme | ★★★★★ 4.7 | 20 | High, with silver tips | $0.70 | $14 | Premium pick |
| Generic store-brand Earl Grey | ★★★☆☆ 2.8 | 100 | Faint | $0.04 | $4 | Skip |
Full specifications
| Bag count | 100 |
| Net weight | 5.8 oz (165 g) |
| Base tea | Indian and Sri Lankan black |
| Flavoring | Natural bergamot oil |
| Caffeine | Medium-high, approx. 40-60 mg per cup |
| Bag style | String and tag, uncoated paper |
| Recommended brew | 3-5 minutes at 100 C / 212 F |
Should you buy the Stash Premium Earl Grey Black Tea (100 Tea Bags)?
Stash Premium Earl Grey is the box we keep buying for the office tea drawer. The bergamot oil is noticeably more present than Twinings or Bigelow Earl Grey, the black tea base brews dark without going astringent, and the 100-bag box drops the cost-per-cup to about 7 cents. The string-and-tag bags are not individually wrapped, so the bergamot aromatics fade if you leave the box open on a sunny shelf for more than a few weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stash Premium Earl Grey as good as Twinings?+
On bergamot oil intensity, Stash is actually stronger than the current Twinings Earl Grey 50-count. On base tea quality, Twinings has a slightly maltier Assam profile. Pick Stash if bergamot brightness matters more, and Twinings if you want the classic English Breakfast-leaning Earl Grey style.
Does Stash Earl Grey have plastic in the bags?+
No, the bags are uncoated paper with a cotton string and paper tag. They are compostable in a hot bin after the staple is removed. There is no individual foil envelope, which keeps cost down but means freshness fades faster than sachet-style boxes.
Can you make a London Fog with Stash Earl Grey?+
Yes, and it is one of the better budget options for this drink. Use two bags per 12-ounce London Fog steeped four minutes, then add equal parts steamed whole milk and a half teaspoon of vanilla syrup. The Stash bergamot is strong enough to carry through the milk.
How long does the 100-bag box stay fresh once opened?+
Roughly three to four months of full bergamot intensity if the box stays closed in a cool pantry. Transfer to an airtight tin or zip-top freezer bag for the full 24-month shelf life. Bergamot oils are volatile and fade faster than the underlying black tea.
📅 Update log
- May 14, 2026Confirmed 100-bag box still ships at $7 after spring pantry refresh.
- Mar 18, 2026Initial review published after a seven-week morning test.
Morgan Davis
Morgan Davis writes for The Tested Hub.