Bigelow Tea Uses Real Essential Oils
February 12, 2026
Bigelow Tea is one of very few tea brands to use authentic citrus oils in our Earl Grey and Bigelow’s “Constant Comment®” teas.
We pride ourselves on using expensive, real ingredients which we blend with hand-picked orthodox teas. We have never cut corners to our recipes.
Earl Grey: Real Bergamot Oil from Calabria, Italy
Bigelow Tea uses only authentic bergamot oil sourced from organically grown bergamot fruit grown on a family farm in Calabria, Italy.
- Our signature Earl grey is blended with 100% real bergamot oil
- The bergamot fruit is hand-picked at peak ripeness in Calabria, home to 80% of the world's citrus bergamot fruit
- We only source the highest-quality cold pressed bergamot oil available
- The meticulous process maintains the fruit's rich and complex flavor
- We have used the same third-generation family farm for over 40 years
- Traditional growing methods have been passed down through generations
Why Some Companies Use Flavorings Instead
It is true that some tea companies create an Earl Grey tea that uses synthetic flavorings to get the bergamot taste. That is not Bigelow Tea and never will be. We only use real oil of bergamot from organically grown bergamot fruit.
Organically grown bergamot fruit grown in Calabria, Italy
“Constant Comment®”: Real Cold-Pressed Orange Oil
In “Constant Comment®”, Bigelow Tea uses real cold-pressed orange oil extracted directly from oranges that provides the finest quality and best taste. In addition, Bigelow Tea only uses real orange rind and no artificial flavors or flavorings.
Oranges used in “Constant Comment”
Why We Protect Our Oils
The tea and ingredients used to make specialty tea are all considered botanicals. Botanicals are negatively affected by light, moisture and air. That is why many tea companies understand the need to protect the ingredients’ flavor and essential oils. Bigelow Tea uses foil packaging as that is the best material available to seal in freshness, flavor and all the benefits of essential oils.
- Bigelow Tea packaging materials are food safe and meet all FDA and U.S. regulatory standards.
- Bigelow Tea uses a specific foil pouch to protect the integrity of the ingredients
- The foil pouch, as in all packaging material that is used to contain and come in contact with food, is produced to ensure no contamination. There is nothing released from the material used to protect our tea that influences or impacts the quality or the safety of the product inside. For all packaging material that comes in contact with food, that is a key requirement to be deemed food-safe packaging.
The Difference Quality Makes
Real citrus oils provide authentic flavor that synthetic flavorings cannot replicate. This commitment to quality ingredients ensures the finest taste in every cup.