Discovering Tie Guanyin and Teaspring Oolong

First of all, congratulations on discovering tea!

I'm far from an expert on Yixing pots, but I do know that not every Yixing collector believes that one pot needs to be restricted to a narrow genre of tea.

But really, at this stage, even if you believe that, say, Huang Jin Gui might be something to dedicate a pot to, maybe you shouldn't be worrying about pots at all. You still need to map out your personal taste in tea, don't you? If you get yourself a serviceable, plain porcelain gaiwan, you will have lots to occupy your mouth, nose, and mind for a long time.

/Lew

It seems that you would like to have the tea 'you enjoyed so much' but you are not able to have that and settle for a 'substitute', if you will.

Isn't there a way to order that tea for you and for us, if any? I mean, there is a link to direct to the tea but that is in Chinese, so that it is nigh impossible for us, if any, to use practically. Will it be too much for you to ask the Chinese man in question to give you more information so you can order the tea in English?

Any help there?

and found a post on this group about

snip

Yes, I looked at that website through Google translation, but didn't know exactly which tea, etc. I have emailed my Chinese friend asking for more information, but haven't received a reply, yet. The Huang Jin Gui from Teaspring is very close, although I didn't get as many infusions. I believe that I may find a tea that is really as good from Teaspring the next time I order, since now I know the name of the tea. I will post back, if I get more info.

Gregory

"swede" snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net wrote

Thanks.

Teas with the name "Tie Guanyin" (translated as Iron Buddha, Iron Goddess of Mercy, Iron Avalokite?vara) are very common and are available from any reasonably serious dealer. The main problem one might have is the existence of 2 completely different kinds of tea under the same name. The Tie Guanyin I know from Mucha on the outskirts of Taipei in Taiwan is a strongly oxidized, 'roasted,' 'dark' tea with caramel characteristics. The Tie Guanyin that had Gregory bowled over is the other kind, essentially a very lightly oxidized, virtually green, oolong mostly originating from the mainland. Like all such generic teas, (Dragon Well is another example) a wide range of qualities exists, so that again explains why a reliable dealer is important, and a careful read of the product description. Of course, it is perfectly possible to find similar intensities of fragrance in other lightly oxidized oolongs and there is no end to the variety available. The dark variety of Tie Guanyin matures over time, rather like pu'erh, and is now sometimes marketed as being 10 or more years old. Additional sessions over a gentle heat from time to time are involved here, I think.

Br Anthony

Sevencups may have the tea you want:

Look at Anxi oolongs.

Tikuanyin (Goddess Tea, Tie Guanyin, whatever you want to call it) is probably the most popular oolong sold. It's not as popular as it was a decade or so ago when there was a huge tikuanyin craze, but it's still a very popular tea.

Most wholesalers will have at least one or two grades of the stuff.

I would be very surprised if Teaspring didn't have at least one tikuanyin. I know Upton's has half a dozen, Ten Ren has six grades (and I suggest the second to lowest if you can find it; their higher grade teas are only marginally better than their cheap ones and are much more money). It is common enough that you should even be able to find it at any reasonably sized Chinese market.

If you season it with a mild tea, you can later on use a darker tea that will cover the taste of the mild tea if you decide you would rather use the pot with the darker tea. If you season it with a darker tea, you will never be able to use it with anything else. It only goes one way, so if you don't know what you want, start with something mild like a dishwater oolong.

--scott