Earl Grey tea is a black tea. This means that the Earl Grey tea leaves undergo an oxidation process. The oxidation of the leaves results in a change of the chemical composition of the leaves and a stronger flavour. Occasionally, green tea leaves or oolong leaves are used in place of the black tea leaves. When this is the case, the oxidation process is skipped and the tea becomes Earl Green tea. There are two methods of flavouring the black tea leaves to get Earl Grey tea. The first, which is said to result in a stronger citrus flavour, is the coating or spraying of the black tea leaves with bergamot essential oils. The second method is the addition of dried bergamot orange rinds to the Earl Grey tea blend. With this method, the citrus flavour infuses the black tea leaves during the brewing process.