Premium Grade Tie Guan Yin

I’m not really a fan of Tie Guan Yin — the earthy chocolate notes paired with the floral just doesn’t do it for me. That said, I do think this tea is about the best a Tie Guan Yin can be — it’s very smooth and the lilac aspect is a nice surprise — so if you are into it, definitely check this one out. It has great longevity, I think I’ve done 6 steeps and it’s still going strong.

This one is really changing, and like it, my preferences change from day to day and mood to mood. I’ve steeped it several different ways, and only once was I able to get the sweetness that made me love it in the first place. Even when I first sampled it, it was a weak orchid that changed into a sweeter lilac that reminded me so much of plumeria. I liked the Milk Oolong most, then this one became my favorite. Now, I prefer the Milk Oolong more again save one day of a singular, stronger brew. The cost of a gram per ounce or more is great, so I try to use less water for less grams or stay with it lightened. Even when this tea is fainter, though, I keep on welcoming it and it comes as an honored guest. It will always be a must try for anyone, but nothing will compare to the way it was when I made it sweet by accident. Perhaps I’m romanticizing the favored experience, but I swear it was just as sweet as the Milk Oolong was, tasting of plumeria, warm milk, and a dash of caramel.

Now, it’s been a few days, the smell has changed from orchid, to plumeria, to lilac, and back to orchid now. I miss the sweetness so much, but I couldn’t bring myself to add sugar to it. A stronger brew with more leaves and time is the best way that I can get it to be sweet again. The same wonderful notes pervade, with more butter and cream some days, more vegetal others, but a transformation of flowers persists. I wish I wrote down what I did when I rated this as a 98 because I still miss it. Nevertheless, this tea still does what a good Tie Guan Yin is supposed to do: provide serenity in a cup of purity. The plumeria smell remains, and I continue to think back to Hawaii when my life was more fortunate. A divine gift from the Goddess of Mercy indeed.

And now, I don’t know what to rate it. Some days it’s been a 90, others an 85, and unfortunately some days a 80 or 75 because of how faint I brewed it. I’ll keep on coming back to this one for I will be drinking it for days. For those of you who are trying to decide whether or not to try it, look down at my first review that is on the bottom of this particular review.

….but then I figured it out! Less water, hotter water just under boiling, more leaves! 15 seconds, then 30, then add fifteen subsequently at 1-1.5 grams per ounce. Sweet plumeria, you have returned!

A unique oolong. For whatever reason I thought oolongs were supposed to have creamy flavors but I’ve been learning that oolongs are extremely diverse. This is a very smooth oolong. Great grassy flavors. Slight floral but I find that more in the smell then the taste.

Gongfu Cha 15, 25, 35…
This is the 2015 version
Pretty floral aroma chamomile, wet hay, cocoa powder. Full, round robust cup. No bitterness, but lots of texture. I could just drink this stuff all day.

So the first thing I’m noticing about this tea, before I even taste it, is that it doesn’t look like any TGY I’ve ever had before. It’s so green, and the liquor is so, so pale, and the aroma is very much like Jin Xuan. Keep in mind I’ve only ever had cheap asian market teas, with the exception of Foojoy “Monkey Picked” TGY which actually isn’t bad and I’d have to say is a step above cheap asian market teas. It’s just that I’m used to a much darker TGY. Ok, the taste. Gongfu. 1 tsp, 190 degrees. 30 second rinse. 30 second steeps, lost count how many. It does not taste like Jin Xuan at all. There’s that familiar TGY astringency (love). Interesting creamy mouth feel. Complex. Floral. (Side note: the leaves are gigantic!) If this was labeled as something entirely different, I never would have identified it as a TGY. So I learned two things: first, I really don’t know much at all when it comes to tea, and second, I think maybe I just prefer darker, more roasted TGYs. I will have to find one now.

I’m back from seeing my sweetie who was in Africa and quite the jet lagged traveler. On the trip home via BART I was thinking of what tea I wanted to have when I got home. I was thinking green tea but ended up with this green oolong instead.

I’ve had this in my stash for a few months now but somehow haven’t gotten around to doing a review. Tie guan yins always remind me of spring and I was thinking I should drink this one soon while its still fresh.

I did 3 steeps but wanted to stop there because I’m a bit worried about caffeine so late in the afternoon. It’s a lovely tea which reminds me of vanilla and cream in the first steep, the later steeps brought out an essence of lilac and butter. I’m not getting the bittersweet notes for some reason, it seems just sweet and buttery to me! Somehow it feels relaxing and uplifting at the same time. I will need to try cold brewing it as well.