LongLiveEarlGrey said 2011-02-12 18:18:51 -0500

What's your favorite Ti Kuan Yin?

I’m looking for a great tasting Ti Kuan Yin. I know a lot of companies sell it, but I don’t know which ones offer the best tasting one. Thanks in advance for your recommendations. Bryan

11 Replies

Jillian said 2011-02-12 18:59:39 -0500

My favorite Ti Kuan Yin is one I bought from the Granville Island Tea Co. in Vancouver: http://steepster.com/teas/granville-island-tea-co/5290-iron-goddess-of-mercy

Here’s a link to their website – they will take online orders if you’re interested: http://www.granvilletea.com/shop/

I also loved the one Jade Teapot sold, but unfortunately they’ve since gone out of business. :(

LongLiveEarlGrey said 2011-02-13 01:01:49 -0500

The first time I tried Ti Kuan Yin was on a December evening in Washinton D.C. at a tea shop called Teaism. To this day, a sip of Ti Kuan Yin transports me there.

Thanks for pointing me to a good quality Ti Kuan Yin. Bryan

Angrboda said 2011-02-13 03:49:28 -0500

I’m partial to the Jade Tie Guan Yin from TeaSpring.

But to be honest, I think that has more to do with the company than the actual leaves possibly or possibly not being superior to other TGYs. It was the first TGY I ever had, so it has a special place because of that.

LongLiveEarlGrey said 2011-02-13 11:04:51 -0500

Thanks for sharing your favorite and your thoughts on the quality of TGYs. How long do you steep it and at what temperature?

Angrboda said 2011-02-13 15:46:14 -0500

I pants it. When I make tea, I generally take the steeping instructions from the shop and toss them over my shoulder, because I know I prefer to use more leaf than average. So the most accurate I can tell you is about 2-3 teaspoons to a half litre pot, bring water to a boil then wait a few minutes before using. Steeping no more than 1 minute on the first go.

I don’t have a thermometer, and my kettle only knows two temperatures (Boiling and Not Boiling) so I don’t really pay that much attention to things like temperature. I just know approximately how long to wait before using the water.
For a greenish oolong such as TGY, however, I definitely wouldn’t use boiling water, I’d wait a little bit.

Cloud Mountain Tea 雲山茶 said 2011-02-13 23:03:44 -0500

Numero Uno!
http://steepster.com/teas/life-in-teacup/10562-an-xi-tie-guan-yin-grade-ii-modern-green-style

Mel said 2011-02-14 13:05:04 -0500

I put that one on my shopping list. The picture sold me, then I saw most reviews called it buttery…yum!

CHAroma said 2012-11-26 14:52:20 -0500

This was my first Tie Guan Yin, and I have to say that it is absolutely spectacular. Not sure that anything has topped it since. :)

Sanctuary T said 2011-02-14 14:34:27 -0500

Okay we are being a little vain (and our apologies), but we really love our very own iron goddess of mercy that is lovely…
it is one of the only oolongs we carry, but it is our absolute favorite ;)

aretha

Zeks said 2012-11-26 15:08:23 -0500

So far – Autumn ’11 TGY from Verdant. Its butteriness is really something. Spring 2012 is nice and bright but autumn 11 is heavy and epic.

Tommy the Toad said 2012-11-26 15:59:46 -0500

Heavy baked TGY :)