Anxi Ti Kwan Yin Fragrant (Tieguanyin)

Pervasive & Green

Appearance & Taste

The colour of Clear-Fragrance-Style Tieguanyin is usually between dark green and yellowish green. The taste is pervasive: the aroma has a prominent floral flavour and mineral flavour. The tea soup is bright and orange-yellow in colour, and feels buttery smooth in the mouth with a sweet, lingering aftertaste.

Adjust the amount of tea based on your own taste

Brewing Guide

For simple glass vessel / teapot brewing:

You can brew less tea leaves with more hot water for longer brewing time. Use 2 teaspoons of the tea for 125ml teacup, 4 teaspoons for 250ml glass or 8 teaspoons for 500ml teapot.

For Ti Kwan Yin (Tieguanyin) or Taiwan Oolong tea, using 100°C hot water to infuse tea leaves for around 2-5 minutes. Re-steep for around one further infusion. (Adjust by personal taste)

For Gongfu Style:

-Detailed processes:

• Warm the Gaiwan/tiny teapot with hot water; discard the water afterwards
• Add 1g Oolong tea for every 20ml – 30ml of water (recommend 5g to 8g tea leaves, adjust by personal taste)
• Pour hot water (100 °C) into the clay teapot / Gaiwan, tilt it, slowly rotating it two times and quickly discard the water (this step is for waking up tea leaves and stimulating the special aroma of the oolong tea)
• Refill clay teapot/Gaiwan with hot water
• Infuse tea for around 40s for first brew, extending extra 15s infusion time for the following brew.
• Pour the steeped tea into serving cup and divided into small teacups and serve
• Repeat 5-7 times for Ti Kwan Yin (Tieguanyin) or Taiwan Oolong tea

Harvest & Production

The Technology of making Oolong tea:

The process of making Tieguanyin Oolong Tea comprises the stages of picking, wilting, shaking, fixation (Stir-fixation), rolling and baking. Shaking is the most essential part. The main purpose of shaking is to monitor moisture evaporation. Continuous monitoring requires a maker to stay up all night. Through the shaking, the water contained in the fresh tea stems spreads into the leaves. This special water contains twice as much theanine and catechins as well as additional aromatic substances. Consequently, it is shaking that determines the special aroma of Tieguanyin. After shaking, the tea leaves are left to continue to ferment to the desired level; the next morning they are ready to be fired to destroy the enzymes, capturing the optimal level of aroma and texture. Once the shaking step is done, the tea leaves are left to continue to ferment to the desired level.

The technologies of making Tieguanyin can be divided into three main categories: Zhengchao, Xiaoqing and Tuosuan (Xiaoqing can also be divided into two subcategories – Xiaozheng and Xiaoqingtuo). The differences are complex, but they mainly relate to the delay before destroying the bacteria and enzymes in the leaves （fixation）. The shaking methods used are also very different.

A longer delay before fixation results in a more sour taste, which some drinkers prefer. The word for the most delayed method, Tuosuan, literally means ‘delay-to-sour’.

Production Time: Spring 2019