Earl Grey drinkers

Earl Grey drinkers

Earl Grey drinkers. A British tea company, which was credited with transforming tea into the nation's favourite tipple more than 300 years ago, has come under public criticism after tampering with one of its best-known and most cherished blends.Fans of Twinings's Earl Grey tea are furious that the firm has altered the traditional flavouring and relaunched it as The Earl Grey.

They say the new product tastes like "lemon cleaning product" and describe it as "dishwater' served up in a cup.

Dozens of angry tea drinkers have posted complaints about the new flavour on the company's website since the new brand was launched in April.

"I cannot describe how awful this new tea tastes. The old award-winning tea was in a completely different league to this foul-tasting dishwater," the Daily Mail quoted a fan as writing.

Others have simply described the new product as "horrid", "vile" and "an affront to tea".

Some tea drinkers are so dismayed by the new blend they have added their names to a Facebook campaign called 'Bring Back the Original Twinings Earl Grey Tea'.

Several have enquired on the campaign page where you can find old stock of the original Twinings Earl Grey on supermarket shelves.

Twinings' new The Earl Grey contains extra bergamot and citrus.

According to the company's website the product has been "refreshed" with an "additional hint of bergamot".

A spokesman for Twinings insisted it had carried out extensive market research before implementing the changes.

"As with all changes to blends, our new Earl Grey has undergone rigorous consumer tasting, receiving strong preference feedback over the previous blend," he said.