Charcoal-baked Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea

VERY different from green TGY I’ve had before. I understand why people love TGY, and why some insist it be made in the traditional way (charcoal-roasted). Definitely fills a gap for me between green oolongs and black teas. Non-linear brewed. No bitterness. Mild astringency.

Dry Leaf: Charcoal, soil
Wet Leaf: Tobacco, soil, caramel
Taste: Honey, nuts, floral

Sipdown (378)

This tea sample is best before 06/25/2017. Oops. As it is, it is not for me. A little smokey and a lot floral. Not to my tastes but I am grateful to Angel from Teavivre for the chance to try it. Thank you :)

One of the few teas from Teavivre I did not care much about. The roast is pretty strong and as a result the taste of Tie Guan Yin is mostly overpowered. The taste of char, malt, some floral sweetness and grass: it sounds more complicated that the taste itself, which is pretty one-dimensional. It just seems to me that you do not have to start with a good quality tea to achieve very similar results.

As the roasted oolongs go I strongly prefer Huang Guanyin from Teavivre as a a good representation of this style.

Apologies in advance: this note contains references to decay and cremation (TW). If you’re not into that or are currently enjoying delicious food, please skip on over.

Nope. Roasted oolong is not for me. Something about burning the florals and char reminds me of one of more bittersweet aromas of Varanasi (not really into thinking of pyres while drinking oolong).

This is actually a nice tea when I can get past my own personal hold-ups. It’s a lot less potent in the burnt department than one would think, and there is a pleasant sour tang of grapefruit for an aftertaste. Lingering notes of sea-salt create a compelling portrait.

Unfortunately, my mind is going back to Varanasi again, and that cow floating down the river. It was very green (but not really), just like this oolong! There’s a part of me that finds it poetic and moving that this tea is like a burnt offering; it’s a shame that aromas, colours, and memories are so strongly linked.

Sample provided for reviewing. Thank you, Angel!

Gongfu’d this in a porcelain gaiwan. Gave the leaf flash rinse. Steeping parameters are from the website: 15 seconds, 20, 30, 45, 60 (also did additional steepings at 90 and 120 seconds).

The first time I tried this Tie Guan Yin, I thought the leaf smelled and tasted rather fresh and green for a baked oolong, and that it would need to air after being kept in the airtight packet. This review is based on the session two weeks later (at the time I’m writing this).

The dry leaf smells floral and a little roasted. The roasted note becomes more pronounced after the leaf rests in the pre-heated gaiwan, and a fresh strawberry also pops out here. The wet leaf aroma smells even more baked, a touch more floral, and less fruity.

The liquor is golden in color and has a medium body, light feel, and thick texture. The first infusion is lightest in feel but incredibly juicy, tasting like fresh strawberry juice (reminds me of the juice leftover in a strawberry salad, over which you would sprinkle some white sugar), and the aftertaste is immediate and strong and very sweet. The aftertaste isn’t long lasting – it’s like a burst of flavor as you would get with gum. The second infusion is even juicier and sweeter. Beginning with the third infusion, floral notes show up – staying until the end of the session – and the floral and fruity notes are nicely balanced.

Abstractedly, this Tie Guan Yin tastes and feels like midsummer. Not only because of the height of vegetation growth, but also that’s the time of year in which I eat strawberry salads. This being my first roasted/baked oolong, I was expecting something much less floral and fruity. It barely smells roasted and tastes even less so. A few leaves are tinged with a red though. Floral rolled Chinese oolongs aren’t my favorite tea, but I found this to be alright. If it sounds like your type of oolong, go for it. Nice quality – very clean and bright.

Dry leaf has an amazing charcoal aroma mixed with a savoury green oolong scent.

The brewed tea has the creamy, sweet, and floral aroma of the oolong at the forefront which is surrounded by an aura of the toasted charcoal.

The flavour of the tea is a great mix of the notes from the aroma which blends together wonderfully. I like the smokiness to curb the sweetness of the oolong but all the flavours seem to be equally present. There is a lovely oolong grapefruit flavour that lingers in the aftertaste. Thin to medium mouthfeel.

Sample from Angel

This oolong had hit the spot tonight. I’ve been really craving a good oolong, but only seemed to have low quality stuff lying around instead. However, I was grateful to have received this oolong sample, among others, from Angel.

I noted that there were floral, mineral, and nutty notes. There was one point that I verbally stated to the wife that I thought I had smelled cinnamon, but hadn’t tasted it in the tea itself. This tea was complex and layered with many notes that I have either forgotten or couldn’t describe exactly what I was tasting. It was very pleasant, and I’m humbly grateful to have tried this tea. I’m definitely adding this on the to get more of this one list.

Thank you for the samples Angel at Teavivre!
With the name “charcoal baked” I was expecting something really smokey and “heavy”. This roasted oolong was smoother and sweeter than I was expecting. It isn’t as roasted tasting as I was expecting either. These are all good things because I found this tea to be very enjoyable. The first steep had mineral notes which decreased a little in the resteep.

The brewing parameters suggest 6 minutes which I thought was a little long but I went with it anyway since they have never steered me wrong yet! I think the mineral notes might not be as strong if brewed a little shorter though, or maybe a rinse.

I love Tie Guan Yin. Sometimes I crave the greener types and decide they are my favorite, and then I start craving a nice roasty one. Charcoal baked in the title promises this to be roasty, but I was pretty taken aback at the instructions. Six minutes for a oolong? I was chicken and gave it five.

This was served as the first tea of tea party today. We had cream cheese cucumber sandwiches first, followed by fudge pie with homemade vanilla ice cream. The tea was good with the sandwiches but OH MY GOSH it was awesome with the sweets. We make our own vanilla and it seemed really strong in the ice cream today, and when I sipped the tea the floral taste exploded. This is definitely a baked oolong, but it isn’t quite as dark and smokey as some I have had. The sweets really brought a lot of personality out in this. I know how I will be serving it henceforth.

Medium oolong that is golden yellow in color. This tea has a charcoal baked aroma with some minor floral notes. It has a nice baked floral flavor and is quite enjoyable.