I have a whole stockpile of TieGuanYins to try as well as different levels of roasted Oolongs of various sorts, and as Teavivre is my favorite source for quality samples right now I am starting with this promising 7 ounce sample.
4 oz gaiwan
5 grams tea
water temp 205f
Quick rinse started our relationship off on the right foot. First steep flash brewed, very light, no opening of the leaves yielding anything I could differentiate from other first rinse flash-brewed oolongs. First steep unimpressed and a little worried about the slightly metallic feel on the tip of my tongue. Three steeps into it I am still uncertain and so I do what I do, which is lowered the heat considerably for the fourth brew which transformed things more than a little. 173f and I begin to like the Anxi Iron Goddess. As I take a break to write this, there is still a heavy mouth-feel, in the back of my throat, not astringent but a bit metallic. More metal than charcoal, but again this is my very fist charcoal baked tea of any kind. I am not sure how I feel about this, but then, aside from my first sip of Oriental Beauty, I never am.
The leaves have opened up and I am letting the tea, and myself rest between our sessions. It is love-making with trepidation, but lovemaking nonetheless, giving one another a full accounting of what we are.
While I await for later morning sessions with these leaves I will share with you some info from Teavivre's site.
Basic info on this tea and it's production.
Production area:
Anxi, Fujian
Tea type:
Oolong tea
Harvest season:
In spring
Harvest date:
June 22, 2015
Dry leaf:
Tightly twisted, neat, black green in color.
Aroma:
Charcoal baked aroma mixed with a bit of sea sedge notes.
Liquor color:
Clear golden yellow with slight red hue.
Mouthfeel:
Balanced, smooth, lighted charcoal baked flavor with gently flowery flavor
Tea species:
Zheng Cong Tie Guan Yin tree
Tea garden:
Long Juan stream tea garden
Baking temperature:
Lightly roasted with charcoal fire for 3 hours at the temperature of 100℃.
Caffeine Scale:
Low
Storage:
Keep this tea in an airtight container away from high temperature, sunlight, moisture and abnormal taste.
Shelf Life:
36 months