Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled
Ingredients: oolong tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 200 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: gold
Tie Guan Yin is one of those few teas that you can reliably find a drinkable version for a reasonable amount. When I need a tea to use as an every day drinker or for making iced tea, this is something I definitely look for. This sample that I received from Teagora Teas is a great example of that. It was smooth and buttery with a lingering orchid aroma. I really liked that this tea had some roast to it since I’m not a fan of the neon green oolongs that have become popular in the market. Later infusions brought the sourness that TGY is known for. I know that sounds like a bad thing but its not necessarily so. There was no bitterness or astringency. Teagora offers two higher grades but I have to say that this one was still pretty tasty. Brewing this tea seemed apropos given a thread I had been reading on Reddit. I added my two cents there but to make a long story short, there is no right or wrong way to make tea. We all have our own preferences and methods. Each individual tea is also slightly different. At the end of the day all that matters is that you enjoy what you drink.
Tieguanyin Oolong – Premium sample provided by Teagora.