The Twinings Great Earl Grey Taste-Off has a winner!

New Zealanders have well and truly had their say, selecting a brand new Twinings Earl Grey blend especially for New Zealand!

Since November 7, Kiwis have been sampling four different variations on the original Twinings Earl Grey blend and voting for their favourite. And the winner is – blend number ONE! Described by Twinings as “an Earl Grey to brighten your day – a stylish mix of sweet blossom and bergamot”, this blend was the clear favourite, winning with a whopping 33% of the vote.

The Twinings Great Earl Grey Taste-Off roadshow ran from November 7 – December 5, travelling from the top to the bottom of New Zealand in a colourful custom-designed vehicle, asking all Kiwis along the route to sample four different variations on the original Earl Grey blend and vote for their favourite. The winning blend will be launched in 2012 and sit alongside the original Earl Grey blend. The public was also able to request tasting kits online to sample and vote for the blends at home.

Kiwis will could also vote for the charity they would like to receive a donation from each pack sold when it launches – either SPCA; Variety - The Children’s Charity; Surf Life Saving NZ; or St John. It was an extremely close result, but the winning charity is St John. However, a donation will be made to all charities for their energies involved in the campaign over the last month.

“It has been a wonderful experience joining the tour and talking to New Zealanders about what they want from their own special Earl Grey,” says Stephen Twining, 10th generation of the Twinings family.

“New Zealand has a very distinctive palate and passion for tea, so I think it is a terrific idea that New Zealanders have very clearly chosen which is their favourite of the ones we have presented to them. As I watched people taste the blends it was clear that blend number one’s soft citrus floral taste was extremely popular, and of course St John is a very deserving charity and a wonderful one to associate this tea with.”

Twinings Earl Grey is a blend of fine black teas, delicately scented with bergamot and Seville orange. The new Earl Grey blend will sit alongside the existing classic and will have a similar profile, but with a special twist that Kiwis themselves have selected as their favourite.