Tasting notes

Quite sweet. Good body. Delicate flower aromas. These teas belong to some of the highest classes of tea available from China.

Background

You can not under estimate the importance of Tie Guan Yin in both modern and ancient Chinese tea culture. Tie Guan is the tea most used in Chinese tea ceremonies. And most of the record breaking auction lots are for Tie Guan Yin. Before we go into where and how we should look at the taste of these teas. Tie Guan Yin is full of fresh delicate aromas that develop in the mouth. At first sip you become aware of the intense apple flower scent. These tastes are illusive aromas you look for in the tea every time. It is also good to note that this is a taste not found anywhere else. I cannot think of any other taste quite like this, Taiwan Oolongs accepted.

Anxi county Fujian Province is the home of Tie Guan Yin. Fujian is almost totally mountainous. Because of this many of the Oolongs coming from there are called rock teas. This harks back to the finding of original tea trees growing naturally on the side of craggy mountains.

Tie Guan Yin is lightly Oxidised. It is low in caffeine but refreshing too. This is one of the few teas I can drink after seven o'clock in the evening without losing sleep.

Perfect preparation

Chinese style preparation for this tea is clear. Half fill a tiny Li Xiang teapot with Tie Guan Yin. Add water that has been boiled and allowed to cool for one minute. Add this to your tea and leave to brew for thirty seconds. Pour this first tea off. Add boiled water to fill your pot and leave to steep for one minute. Your tea is ready. Repeat this process for as many times as you like omitting the first step. Some Tie Guan Yin Teas can be used up to eight times some maybe less.

A simpler method is to boil freshly drawn filtered water and leave to cool for one and a half minutes. Add two teaspoons of Tie Guan Yin to a small teapot, ideally around 400cl. Add your cooled water and leave the tea to brew for one minute. Your tea is ready. Fully empty your pot to serve. To get another steeping add water at the same temperature as before.

This may look quite complex. But it is not. As you get use to this type of tea you will find it easy to prepare.

I must say that we do stock a high grade of Tie Guan Yin but as I do enjoy this tea immensely we also stock some expensive higher grades that at the moment are available on request.