Tie Guan Yin Classic 铁观音 2019, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2008
This set includes six vintages that are all from the same farm and expresses the beauty and complexity of what skillful roasting and the test of time can achieve. This is one of the finest collection of oolongs that we have ever offered and the individual vintages will not be offered outside of the boxed set. Each year represents a unique taste, it is a journey 45 years in the making.
Tie Guan Yin or Iron Buddha of Mercy is arguably one of the most famous teas in China because of its intoxicating floral taste and aroma. There are few teas that compare in expression and when put in the hands of a truly talented producer it becomes pure magic!
Tie Guan Yin is also the name used to reference the cultivar of the tea tree and its birthplace is Anxi. This TGY hails from the town of Jian Dou and was processed using only traditional wooden presses and oxidized slightly darker than the current trend of super green oolong. We have spent the two years searching for a farmer that still makes TGY oolong the traditional way without the use of pesticides, machines, and medium roasted.
Classic TGY is richer in taste and fragrance and has a different appearance than machine rolled oolong from Taiwan. Less than 30kg are produced each year and only spring picked leaves are used.
Handmade production starts with sun withering, cooling and shaking with baskets in a ventilated room, fixing over an iron pan heated by wood fire, rolling using a manual wood press, shaping in a cloth bag using body weight, and finally dried in baskets over charcoals at low heat for about 36hrs. This method of making tea is hard work, especially for elderly farmers. The taste is elegant and deep and it is said to make even the simplest act of breathing enjoyable.
Origin:
Anxi, China
Cultivar:
Yu Guan Yin
Flavor Profile:
Delicate roasted taste and aroma, caramel, floral
Servings:
4 x 5g per vintage
Net weight:
20g x 6 vintages
