Anxi Monkey King (Ma Liu Mie) Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea

Tie Guan Yin is one of those teas that are getting increasing popularity in the west, but when it comes to me I drink it seldom. The reason why I ordered this tea is that I wanted to compare it to the Taiwanese version of the same grade, labeled Monkey picked. I heard stories that monkeys were trained in the past to pick the hardly accessible leaves for this tea but more rational approach suggests that it was a metaphor superior leaf material that distinguishes it from an average.

As I’m nearly finishing a pouch of this tea I learned that I like it prepared in a small porcelain teapot the most. I use about 4 grams and 180-200ml and steep it in 2min-1min-2min fashion. The infusion has a bright green tone with slightly warm (close to toasted) aroma at the top with bright flowery notes. First infusion is refreshing, mildly grassy and ends with toasty goodness. As the tea cools down the flowery element gets more prominent and almost to the point of being rough, also I get a long moist sensation in mouth as I finish the cup.
Second cup is more balanced as flowery note loses its domination and for a short period between the sips I could sense a crisp sweetness lingering in the back.
Third cup if more floral than the previous but the sweetness is persistent. I can sense some buttery hints in the background if I focus a little bit.

A very nice tea, refreshing, quenching but a bit too flowery for my taste. I enjoy the Taiwanese version more but I wouldn’t mind having this one every now and then.

The Leaf: Each curled leaf ranges from a deep dark green to a much lighter, almost pale green color. Only found one lose stem in the pile, but otherwise all leaf. The scent is light, sweet, and fruity.

The Brew: The aroma is clean, sweet, fresh, slightly grassy, and fruity. The liquor is extremely light green; almost clear or white looking. The taste is medium-light in intensity. There is a slight astringency, possible due to the high temperature water. The mouthfeel is somewhat thick while drinking, and there is a slight dryness left on the tongue. I taste fresh grass, mineral, and grape skin.

I drink all of my teas cold.

Thank you TheTeaFairy for sending me this one.
I don’t know what happened to my world – All the green oolongs I’ve drank this week I’ve enjoyed. I like this one too. I’m confused. I need to ponder this situation…….

Another sample from Teavivre. Thank you so so much. I always appreciate these samples! This is the last of my last sample package to review, but there is already another sample package on the way! The leaves have a bright and fresh fragrance, very floral, though not as floral as another Teavivre oolong (the Nonpareil Anxi Qing Xiang TieGuanYin smells like an entire Spring garden). I tried to go with the steeping parameters for their other green oolongs, since I don’t like this suggestion of 17 ounces (a tablespoon of leaves, 212 degrees, a rinse, 1,2,3,4 minute steeps). I went with two teaspoons of these bright green bundles.

Steep #1 // 7 minutes after boiling & a rinse // 1 1/2 min steep
The leaves are almost bursting out of the basket, I can’t imagine using more! The flavor is nice but it doesn’t taste overly like flowers, or peach (or any other type of fruit), or like a creamy milk oolong, or vegetal. Usually oolong can fit into a category, but this one does not, at least not on the first cup. This is a different oolong — it isn’t as floral tasting as the scent is. There is a bit of an odd flavor to it but it certainly isn’t astringent or oversteeped. It’s quite a mystery. The color of the cup is between the mellow yellow of a light oolong but not quite bright yellow.

Steep #2 // two minutes after boiling // 2 min
Hmm. This is the oddest oolong I’ve ever tasted. I don’t think it is oversteeped but it has a sour flavor to it, even a fuzzy texture to it. It has hints of pineapple flavor to it… or maybe some unripened fruit and autumn leaves. It’s such a different flavor for oolong. Not a fan of this oolong, but it could just be my tastes. I think some of Teavivre’s other oolongs are better. Give them a try!

Thank you so much, Jennkay, for a sample of this!

And the sample is pretty much done because I had it with my husband two nights ago and right now I am having the rest of it just by myself.

I love my green oolongs so much! And I think this is the best Tie Guan Yin I have had yet. I love the asparagusy quality of a TGY – this one has also plenty of green vegetable notes to it, but it is creamier, fuller, more buttery… and on the whole more complex. I love when teas have this lingering flavorful aftertaste that stays with you between the sips. This tea definitely has it, too.

It’s just chock full of qualities I love in oolongs.

And the color of the steep is so beautiful, the warm yellow of today’s sunlight. Because, guys, it was fairly warm today in PA. AMAZING.

Very beautiful, tightly rolled little emerald green balls that smell like honeysuckle. The leaves unfurl to be pretty forest green and the liquor is a Spring green as well.
The liquor smells of honeysuckle as well.
The flavor is not as floral as the scent which is very cool. It has a cream and almond taste.
As it cools, a nice Angel food cake flavor comes thru. There is a touch of astringency but it is palate-cleansing and very very subtle.

The second steeping I timed at 4 minutes as well, as the leaves had opened up very large. The flavor was still creamy- tasting and honeysuckle-scented with the very light astringency.
This is a very beautiful tea!!!!!
Thank you to Teavivre for this sample!!!!!

Light Oolong that is yellowish green in color and has a floral aroma. It tastes sweet and floral with a little fruitiness on the back end. Plus it can help prevent scurvy.