Tieguanyin Tea

Tieguanyin Tea, a traditional Chinese tea, is an oolong tea and one of China's top ten famous teas. Tieguanyin Tea has a rich and lasting inner aroma, with various special aromas such as orchid, milk, and jasmine; the tea broth is goldenyellow, orangeyellow, translucent, mellowandthick, sweetandfresh, with a light honey aroma, a fresh aftertaste, and a distinct IN-flavour, and is loved by tea lovers at home and abroad. Its history can be traced back to the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, when it was discovered between 1723 and 1735. Today, Tieguanyin is not only a treasure of Chinese tea culture but also a bridge connecting the tea cultures on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Tieguanyin Tea Details:

Product Name: Tieguanyin Tea
Place of Origin: Fujian Province, China
Net Content: 500g
Production Process: Traditional Craftsmanship
Shelf Life: 540 days
Storage: Cool, Refrigerated, Drying, Protect from Light and Odours

Tieguanyin Tea Picking Standards:

Our Tieguanyin has strict picking standards: the new shoots grow to 3 to 5 leaves and are about to mature, and the top leaves are 60 to 70% open when the tips of the shoots with 1 bud and 2 or 3 leaves are picked. This is commonly known as ‘picking when the leaves unfurl’. The ‘unfurling’ here refers to the different degrees of elongation of the new shoots, which are further divided into early unfurling leaves, middle unfurling leaves, and fully unfurled leaves.

Early Unfurling Leaves‌: This refers to picking when the area of the first leaf at the top of the bud is equivalent to 1/2 the area of the second leaf. At this time, the tea leaves are relatively tender. If the picking is too early, the leaves will contain fewer aromatic substances, and the young shoots will be easily damaged during subsequent processing, affecting the quality.

‌Middle Unfurling Leaves‌: This is the picking standard where the area of the first leaf at the top of the bud is equivalent to 2/3 of the second leaf, or where the area of the top leaf is similar to that of the second leaf. At this time, the leaves are of moderate age, and this is the best time to pick them.

‌Fully Unfurled Leaves‌: The picking standard is relatively older than Middle Unfurling Leaves, and the resulting tea has a high aroma, but it is not ethereal or delicate.
When picking, the ‘five nos’ are observed: no breaking, no folding, no touching the tips, no single leaves, no fish leaves, and no old stems, to ensure the quality of the fresh leaves.

Tieguanyin Tea Production Process:

Tieguanyin tea production is a complex and tedious process, involving ten steps: sun fixation, drying, shaking, stir fixation, rolling, initial firing, wrapping and rolling, refiring, rewrapping and rolling, and hot air drying.

Sun fixation: This is carried out in the evening or early afternoon when the sun is not strong and lasts 20–40 minutes. It causes the tea leaves to lose some of their water content, laying the foundation for subsequent fermentation.

Withering: The withered tea leaves are spread evenly on a cooling rack and left to cool for 0.5–1.5 hours, which causes the leaves to lose further water and become softer.
Aroma-Developing Leaf Shaking: This is the most crucial step in Tieguanyin production. The leaves are shaken so that the edges rub against each other, which promotes chemical changes within the leaves and causes the characteristic ‘green leaves with a red rim’ phenomenon. Aroma-Developing Leaf Shaking and Spreading are alternated many times and last for 8–16 hours.

‌Stir fixation‌: The principle is ‘high temperature, fast and short’. The enzyme activity of the tea is quickly stopped by high temperature to fix the aroma and colour of the tea.
‌Rolling and wrapping‌: The tea is rolled to increase the aroma and flavour. After rolling, the tea is wrapped and compressed to make it firmer.

Hot air drying: This promotes a pure aroma, a mellow and thick flavour, and a shiny appearance. The tea is considered to be sufficiently dry when it crumbles into powder when pressed by hand. The tea is then spread out to cool, and when it has cooled to room temperature, it is collected and bagged for sale. At this point, the finished tea weighs 3.075 kg, which is equivalent to 3.25 kg of raw tea leaves making 0.5 kg of finished tea.

It is only through these complex processes that Tieguanyin's unique qualities are formed

Tieguanyin Tea Brewing Method:

1. Tea set selection‌: A teapot with a lid or a purple clay teapot is usually used to brew Tieguanyin tea.
   
2. Water temperature control‌: The water temperature is usually controlled at 95–100°C to ensure that the aroma and flavour of the tea can be fully released.
3. ‌Amount of tea leaves‌: Depending on personal taste and the size of the teapot, the amount of tea leaves put into the teapot is usually between 3 and 5 grams.
4. ‌Brewing time‌: The brewing time for the first brew is usually between 30 seconds and 1 minute. The brewing time for subsequent brews can be adjusted according to the strength of the tea and personal taste.

Characteristics of Tieguanyin Tea:

Appearance‌: Tieguanyin tea has tightly bound, plump, curled leaves with an evenly shaped, emerald-green appearance.

‌Aroma‌: Tieguanyin has a unique IN-flavour and orchid fragrance, with a rich and lasting aroma that is intoxicating.

‌Taste‌: Its taste is mellow, sweetandfresh, with a unique ‘Guanyin IN-flavour’ and a long aftertaste.

‌Soup colour‌: The brewed tea soup is goldenyellow and bright, clear, and transparent.

‌Infused leaves‌: The infused leaves are fat, softandbright, with obvious red edges, showing the unique production process of Tieguanyin.

Tieguanyin Tea Benefits:

Clearing away heat and reducing internal fire: Tieguanyin has the effect of clearing away heat and reducing internal fire. Drinking an appropriate amount of Tieguanyin tea can relieve symptoms such as sore throat and red, painful eyes caused by internal fire.
Refreshing and invigorating: Tieguanyin tea contains caffeine, which can stimulate the nerves and refresh and invigorate the mind.

Strengthens the spleen and reduces fat: Tieguanyin contains polyphenols, alkaloids, vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, etc., which can strengthen the spleen and invigorate the qi. The polyphenols in Tieguanyin can also improve the action of lipase, promote fat metabolism, and inhibit the absorption of cholesterol, which can lower blood fat.

Sterilisation and disinfection: The tea polyphenols in Tieguanyin can kill bacteria in the intestines after entering them, protecting the gastrointestinal mucosa. When the skin is burned or scalded, cooling Tieguanyin tea and soaking the affected area can also reduce inflammation and kill germs to fight infection.

Weight loss and beauty: The polyphenols in Tieguanyin tea can lower triglycerides and cholesterol, while the vitamins in Tieguanyin can inhibit the body's absorption of lipids. Drinking Tieguanyin tea regularly can help with weight loss and beauty.