Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled
Ingredients: oolong tea
Steep time: 15 seconds
Water Temperature: 195 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: pale gold
The first thing that I noticed about this tea was the sweet, floral aroma. On more than one occasion I found myself sticking my nose into the gaiwan and inhaling deeply. The floral aroma was echoed in the taste along with a pleasantly vegetal finish. The mouth-feel was very smooth and it did not have any astringency. +Tea Setter‘s description says that some people liken this tea reminds them of lilac and I can definitely see that. The strong floral notes lingered in my mouth for such a long time after I was done drinking. I love a tea that stays with you. Four consecutive infusions had me feeling tea logged but a few more rounds definitely could have been squeezed out. Adding five seconds to each one kept the flavor consistent. Phoenix style oolongs are more my speed so I don’t drink Tie Guan Yin often but I really enjoyed this one. I have a high grade version of this tea waiting in the wings and it will be interesting to see how the two differ. In case you missed it, I’ve included my podcast interview with Matt from Tea Setter.
Iron Goddess Medium Grade sample provided by Tea Setter.