Rediscovering Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea: A Classic for Scorching Summers
Rediscovering Tie Guan Yin means looking beyond what you might remember as ‘Dad’s Tea.’
On a scorching summer day, a young tea enthusiast came to our tea house and asked the tea master to recommend a refreshing tea suitable for summer — but not green tea. The tea master recommended Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea (also known as Ti Kuan Yin oolong tea). To our surprise, he chuckled and said, “Tie Guan Yin? Isn’t that the tea my dad used to drink?”
Hearing this, I nearly lost grip of my gaiwan. Tie Guan Yin was once the tea every household served guests — rich in aroma and with a long-lasting aftertaste. How did it become a symbol of nostalgic “old tea” nowadays?
The Unique Growing Environment of Tie Guan Yin Tea
So, I told him the story of Tie Guan Yin tea, which I’d like to share here for tea beginners:
Nestled among the mountains of Anxi, Fujian Province, is the ideal habitat for the Tie Guan Yin tea plant. The region boasts acidic red soil, significant day-to-night temperature differences, misty clouds, and abundant annual rainfall. This unique terroir gives Anxi Tie Guan Yin its irreplaceable qualities, much like how the millennium-old weathered rocks nourish the Wuyi Mountain rock teas.
Strict and Detailed Processing Techniques
Many newcomers mistakenly think Tie Guan Yin is green tea because of its vibrant green dry leaves. Actually, Tie Guan Yin is a semi-oxidized oolong tea, produced through an especially rigorous and meticulous process including plucking, withering, sun withering, oxidation, pan-firing, initial rolling, initial drying, secondary rolling, and final drying.
The plucking stage is especially crucial. Tie Guan Yin tea leaves cannot be picked on rainy or overcast days, and plucking is only done from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The harvesting focuses on “one bud and two leaves” — leaves where the bud has grown and the leaf surface has unfolded. The plucking follows principles of “standardization, timeliness, batch harvesting, and leaf retention” using a “fixed height flat surface plucking method” based on the tea plant’s growth status. This ensures the plucking surface’s buds are all harvested, while the lower buds are left to grow, forming a rich nutrient layer that maximizes light use and improves yield and quality.
By now, do you understand the name of this tea? Its origin + tea cultivar + traditional craftsmanship = the unique Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea.
Experiencing the Refreshing Fragrance of Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea
While explaining, I brewed him a cup of Qingxiang (Light Fragrance) style Tie Guan Yin, saying: “Look, this style hasn’t gone through charcoal roasting. The tea liquor is clear like green water, with a natural and strong orchid aroma, and a sweet, fragrant taste. This is the kind of Tie Guan Yin we’re drinking now.”
After tasting, he said: “The floral aroma carries a cool sensation in my throat, the sweetness lingers refreshingly, and the tea liquor is smooth.”
His positive feedback made me very happy.
The Unique Charm of the Strong Fragrance Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea
Next, I introduced him to the other style — the Nongxiang (Strong Fragrance) Tie Guan Yin:
Anxi Tie Guan Yin is mainly divided into Qingxiang (Light Fragrance) and Nongxiang (Strong Fragrance). Compared to the elegant orchid scent of Qingxiang, Nongxiang is charcoal roasted, with a tea liquor color of clear golden brown and a richer aroma featuring caramel and fruity wood notes, offering a mellow and lasting taste.
Though different in style, both share the unique “Guanyin Yun” (the “Charm of Guanyin”). Due to their lasting fragrance and excellent brew durability, Tie Guan Yin is famous for “Seven brews with lingering aroma” — a high praise indicating its aroma remains rich even after multiple infusions.
Drinking Tie Guan Yin in the Great Heat — Cooling and Nourishing
According to China’s traditional 24 solar terms, it is currently the hottest period known as “Da Shu” (Great Heat). During this scorching time, brewing a pot of Anxi Tie Guan Yin not only cools and relieves heat but also helps reduce internal heat, easing dryness and thirst caused by “heatiness.”
Meanwhile, Tie Guan Yin promotes gastrointestinal motility and improves digestion, especially suitable for consumption after oily and heavy summer meals, effectively reducing bloating and discomfort.
Nutritionally, Tie Guan Yin is rich in dietary fiber, which benefits intestinal health. Its tea polyphenols and catechins are natural antioxidants that eliminate free radicals in the body, delay cellular aging, improve skin condition, and lower the risk of chronic diseases.
As the old saying goes, “The heat of Da Shu is hard to dispel; the real heat comes after summer.” At this time when the heat lingers, a cup of Anxi Tie Guan Yin cleverly uses heat to fight heat, helping dissipate the scorching summer warmth.
How to Choose Quality Tie Guan Yin Tea?
When selecting Tie Guan Yin, it is recommended to prioritize tea leaves originally from Anxi, Fujian. High-quality Tie Guan Yin usually features a natural and pure aroma, clear and bright tea liquor, a pronounced sweetness, and the unique “Guanyin Yun” charm.
In our Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea selection, you will experience the distinctive flavor of this traditional oolong tea. The tea is carefully selected at Chinese Tea Group’s traditional brick-and-mortar tea house. The tea leaves are sourced from highly praised local farmers. Our prices for Tie Guan Yin tea are competitive and comparable to local market rates. All product images are authentic photos to ensure the genuine quality is clearly visible.
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