Tie Guan Yin Light Oxidation
Pinyin: tiě guān yīn
Chinese (Mandarin): 铁观音
Origin
Legend tells of a poor farmer Mr. Wei, who while on his way to the tea fields, would pass by an old forgotten temple with an iron statue of Guanyin (the goddess of mercy) inside. Unhappy with the condition of the temple, Mr. Wei decided to clean it up and pay his respects to Guanyin. One night, Guanyin came to Mr. Wei in a dream and told him of a special gift located behind the temple. In the morning, Mr. Wei went behind the temple and found a tea plant sprouting out of the ground. From this plant, the first Tie guan yin tea leaves were produced. This tea was named after Guanyin, and translates roughly to "iron goddess of mercy".
Style
One of the most approachable teas, green Tie guan yin is a ball-rolled oolong tea, minimally oxidized (for an oolong) to preserve the green color of the leaves. As the leaves are infused, they unravel to reveal slightly red edges; a sign of the bruising of the leaves.
Aroma
A good Tie guan yin will have an intensely floral aroma right off of the dry leaf. There are some vegetal components that come through in the wet leaf as well. In doing our tea ceremonies, we've found that women are especially drawn to Tie guan yin. This could be because of the floral notes and the tea's delicate nature.
Flavor
This tea starts of light and sweet. With medium body, the vegetal notes present in the aroma come through and coat one's mouth pleasantly during the middle infusions. In the finish, the flavor eases up back into the familiar lightness from the first infusions.
Browse more Tea and Teaware.
