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“This review got out of hand, I had to split it into a thread as well…. I get a lovely aroma from the steeped leaves, a chestnut & perfume. Some sweetness & fruit but everything is melded...” Read full tasting note
“Weeee, I am lost in antihistamine fog! My allergies are so bad right now that I am in a fugue state from all these meds, clearly I need to figure out another option or just plan on never getting...” Read full tasting note
Traditional Tie Guan Yin originated from Anxi County, China. The tea master, Zhang Nai Miao, the first generation of the Zhang family, first brought the Tie Guan Yin tea strain to Taiwan to be grown in the Mucha area in the 1890’s. Since then, the Tie Guan Yin strain has spread to other areas of Taiwan. However, because the traditional processing procedure of Tie Guan Yin is time-consuming and requires complicated skills, Zhang Xin Zhong, the current owner and 4th generation of the Zhang family, is the only tea farmer who still produces this Traditional Tie Guan Yin, called Zheng Cong Tie Guan Yin, meaning the real Tie Guan Yin in Taiwanese.
As the first son of a famous tea master’s family, Mr. Zhang continues the heritage of his family. He has been involved in the tea-making process from a very early age. He has learned all of the knowledge he needed to make Traditional Tie Guan Yin.
Making Traditional Tie Guan Yin requires highly sophisticated skills. After natural withering and stirring, Mr. Zhang performed the shaping and baking process for 50 times, the key to release the entire flavor and fragrance. The conditions of fresh leaves are different from season to season. Only a skillful tea master can tell the nuances, and adjust his techniques accordingly. Even the tea been packed, the tea has to be stored for at least 45 days, reaching the perfect balance between fragrance and sweetness.
That dedication results in teas of intense flavor and extraordinary structure. Traditional Tie Guan Yin is known for a soft mellow, full-bodied texture, mixed with ripe fruit, coconut taste and a nose of natural orchid and osmanthus, called “Guan Yin Charm”. Many tea drinkers are fond of the after-drinking sweetness blended with hints of citrus flavor. When brewed, the tea has a clean and vivid amber color with plentiful flavor even after several brews.
Traditional Tie Guan Yin is only made in spring and winter. This 2015 spring tea has been perfectly baked afresh for your appreciation. This tea is extremely rare and can’t be missed!
Sanne Tea is the place where you can find high-quality and pesticide-free Taiwanese tea. The founder came from a Taiwanese family that loves and drinks tea for several generations. We want to share our enthusiasm and passion for Taiwanese tea and natural farming with the world. As our commitment, we source and sell 100% natural, zero pesticide teas. We are very excited about the teas that we have to offer, and are very much looking forward to meeting other tea lovers here. We worked hard to find the Taiwanese tea that is 100% grown in Taiwan and build the relationships with local farmers, not to mention that the tea has to be affordable. We, along with several tea farmers who we trust, would like to promote true Taiwanese tea to the global market. Thank you for visiting us and please go to our website:www.sannetea.com
This review got out of hand, I had to split it into a thread as well….
I get a lovely aroma from the steeped leaves, a chestnut & perfume. Some sweetness & fruit but everything is melded together in the roast. I dont get the pungent fresh green perfume I really like about ‘modern’ TGY from the liquor, which is a surprise, but the steeped leaves are lush.
I was expecting a mix of both green & brown flavour from the cup, but it leans towards the brown. But, this is a very nicely roasted oolong if you like that style. It is smooth & soft but more spritely than the aged oolongs I have been drinking tonight, there is a bit more separation in the flavour & aroma, with some additional char bite (youth?) compared to the 1986 Lishan, which is no bad thing if you like that kind of tea.
So this ended up creating more questions about oxidised (edit* fermented?) but non-roasty Anxi tea, which was what I ended up wanting from this session… (I dont go for roasty teas)
Flavors: Bark, Char, Chestnut, Fruity
Weeee, I am lost in antihistamine fog! My allergies are so bad right now that I am in a fugue state from all these meds, clearly I need to figure out another option or just plan on never getting things accomplished. Ok, not totally true, I read two novels back to back last night, so that was kinda fun. I just need to find a non-drowsy allergy medicine, or drink more tea, since that is always an option!
Speaking of tea, it is time for some tea rambling! Today’s tea is Traditional Tie Guan Yin (Spring 2015) from Sanne Tea, a tea that has its origins in China, but traveled to Taiwan in 1890s and has made quite the name for itself there! I suggest giving the website a read, it has a lovely description of the process the farmer, Mr. Zhang, goes through to create the traditionally roasted Oolong. The aroma is like a memory, as I have said in other reviews of Taiwanese Traditional TGY, it was the first Oolong I had and the first tea I really fell in love with, so that first sniff is always very nostalgic. Notes of toast, toasted nuts and toasted bread, a bit of burnt sugar, cocoa, and delightful notes of toasted chestnuts and walnuts. Those nutty slightly sweet notes make me melt in happiness, I am pretty sure that is what drew me to roasted TGY in the first place.
Into my toasted Oolong pot the leaves go for a nice bath! The notes that come off of the thoroughly soaked leaves is delightfully toasted, roasted chestnuts and toasted bread mingle with gentle char notes and mineral notes. The liquid is very similar, notes of walnuts and roasted chestnuts with toasted bread, the mineral and char notes are very light, and at the finish there is a distinct note of orchids.
Oh wow, that first sip is so sweet! Notes of caramelized walnuts wash over my tongue and wow, that was delicious and unexpected, points for possibly being the sweetest roasted TGY I have ever had. Next is notes of toasted bread and delicate distant orchids, with a finish if cocoa and a slightly cooling sensation, which is also unexpected.
The aroma of the second steeping is toasted nuts and delicate spicebush flowers, with a touch of orchid and caramelized sugar. At the finish there is a tiny bit of mineral and char. This steeping is intensely toasted, strong notes of walnut shells, toasted nuts and bread, and a sharp finish of black walnuts with a lingering sweetness.
Third steep, the aroma is still going strong with toasted nuts, walnuts, and spicebush. The end is a burst of minerals and orchids. The taste is less intensely toasted, but has rolled back around to sweet caramelized walnuts. There are still notes of toasted bread and toasted chestnuts, with a delicate finish of orchids and sweetness. Ah, this tea was quite delicious, a wonderful example of a roasted Tie Guan Yin!
For photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/08/sanne-tea-traditional-tie-guan-yin.html
Flavors: Burnt Sugar, Caramel, Chestnut, Mineral, Orchid, Toasted, Walnut
