Earl Grey

As someone interested both in languages and in tea, I liked the feature about the origin of the designation "Earl Grey Tea" in this week's World Wide Words Newsletter. Short version - the name seems to have been "Grey Tea" originally, and the association with the 2nd Earl Grey a late 19th century marketing ploy. It's not clear where the "Grey" in the name orginates, but it's possible that it refers to a tea trader of that name.