Tie Guan Yin Oolong

A pronounced floral note and refreshing flavors of fresh green vegetables with a buttery note and some sweetness reminiscent of red pepper.

This is an ancient tea whose first rise to fame was that it was rumored to be loved by Emperor Qian Long (18th century). Tie Guan Yin is a famous Chinese tea and very much in demand. This inevitably means that it is produced in large quantities with large differences in quality and styles.

Our Tie Guan Yin comes from Anxi County in Fujian Province, the birthplace of this much talked about and popular tea. This particular Tie Guan Yin is of the "Anxi style" which means that it is slightly oxidized and retains many of the fine floral aspects that are more similar to a light green tea without the grassiness or harshness. This type of oolong has become known as a "jade" or "green" oolong due to the bright appearance and color reflected in both the leaves of this tea and the light brew.

The tea is named after the Chinese name for the bodhisattva whose name is Avalokiteśvara, Guan Yin. Guan Yin is a Buddhist bodhisattva commonly associated with compassion. There are a couple of origin stories for this tea. One is that a farmer passed by a dilapidated temple in Guanyin and took it upon himself to clean the temple. As a reward, he received a vision in his dream of Guanyin who led him to find a tea plant growing in a cave behind the temple. The second story is about a professor who discovered tea plants near Guanyin Mountain and presented the resulting tea to Emperor Qian Long who declared that it has the weight of iron and the appearance of Guan Yin.

The well-rolled, light green, jade-colored leaves of this Tie Guan Yin oolong have a light green floral aroma. During brewing, the leaves unfold and produce a very light golden-clear brew with a sweet floral scent. The taste is light, with a pronounced floral note and refreshing flavors of fresh green vegetables with a buttery note and a little sweetness reminiscent of red pepper. The lasting aftertaste has several floral notes. This is a light and refreshing tea with a smooth and balanced taste with no bitterness or astringency.