Tie Kwan Yin (organic)

Semi-impulse buy when I was at DavidsTea today… definitely didn’t need another tea, but I wanted to try a basic tie kwan yin to compare other green oolongs against (e.g. those from Teavivre). I intended to pick up their High Mountain Oolong too, but didn’t see it on the shelf. The wallet thanks the tea gods for small favours. Another reason I grabbed this tea is because although I like milk oolongs, sometimes the milky flavour can put me off a bit, or be a bit too rich, when all I want is that lovely green oolong flavour. Likewise with overly floral oolongs, so this is one in which neither attribute is prominently featured (I think).

Anyhow, I didn’t have the patience for short infusions today (also, cannot justify wasting MORE time), so western-style brewing it is. A generous amount of leaf: prob 2tsp. I kind of wish I hadn’t brewed so many teas at once – I can’t remember how long I steeped any of them! Should have written it down. Although now I remember – I set this one for two minutes, sniffed it, and decided to leave the basket in longer… and then forgot about it. My guess is that it was in there around 4-6 minutes, which is approximately the range suggested by DT, so hopefully I haven’t ruined it.

The dry tea just smells green and grassy. Maybe the slightest touch of floral, but I’m not sure. Steeped, it smells a bit buttery, a bit floral, and a lot OOLONG! Yes! This is what I want! Please please please taste like you smell.

The moment of truth….. and it’s exactly what I wanted! Oh man. This may only be a mediocre oolong for most people, but holy crap it is exactly what my taste buds were craving (I didn’t know this prior, but they’re currently immensely satisfied and pushing thoughts into my brain of brewing up a whole pot in spite of the row of tea-filled mugs crowding my nightstand). The taste is buttery and smooth, barely floral, and OOLONGINYOURFACE. Bahaha, “oolongin’”: a verb describing an intense desire to drink vast quanities of oolong tea, e.g. “I’m oolongin’ so hard today”. Nevermind me….

Anyhow, I’m not going to say that this is The Best Oolong In The World or anything, as I haven’t tried enough for that, but I’m definitely quite happy with it, and need to now compare it with my Teavivre samples… although I just realized that I only have the honey tieguanyin from them… And my Verdant samples. I think that while I may like the more expensive ones better, this will be fabulous for the cheap, western-style-frequent-drinking option, while I can save the others and truly experience them.

ETA: Second infusion, 94C/5min, definitely not as good, but starts off creamy and almost like more of a milk oolong, and finishes with oolong. A touch more astringency is perhaps the biggest difference. Perfectly good though, for cutting that oolongin’!

An explanation, first. I have tried a small number of flavoured oolongs but am not overly keen on them. Nothing wrong with them, but never my go-to tea. I have never really given unflavoured oolongs a try, though I did try a sip of the beau’s at Sawadee Tea House once (brewed Western style) but I mostly found it bitter and over-steeped. Tonight I brought out my gaiwan and my tiny cute double walled glass teacups to do “Western style Gong-fu” (I am not using flash rinses, but instead a sightly lower temperature for 1 minute or so). I don’t really know what to call it, but that’s what I think of!

Also, a note for poor Mercuryhime who sent me a couple of lovely looking oolongs to try – I wanted to cut my teeth on the relatively inexpensive and very available DT Tie Kwan Yin so I can (hopefully!) better appreciate the ones you sent. I WILL be trying them soon!

Initially, the dry leaves smell delicious and appealing, lightly sweet and floral, but mild (remember that I’m a dedicated black tea drinker!) First steep got 1 min or so and yielded a light greenish liquor, with a mild floral taste. As I told the beau, it reminds me of a blooming tea but not as strong in flavour. Likely a user error, but really nice nonetheless. The leaves unfolded a lot and are HUGE at this point, lovely full leaves. Stunning to watch.

Steep 2: Similar steep time/temp (I don’t use a thermometer or timer, hah!) Flavour is similar (sweet, lightly floral) but with a bit more strength. The liquor is a bit more yellow, and this too is a satisfying cuppa. I’m definitely not catching any nuances of flavour here, but there is definitely nothing objectionable. I am used to bold flavours, but for a lighter sort of tea, I have no problem drinking this. I know I’ve said it already, but this still reminds me of blooming teas I have tried. I presume it is the floral notes that I am being reminded of here.

Steep 3: Stepped up to boiling water, to see if it would add anything to the mix, really. I’m afraid that if I don’t I will just be drinking hot water. This steep came the closes to a hint of bitterness, but was really the same smooth sweet floral taste I’ve had all along. I’m out of time for today, might try some more tomorrow or might let it rest.

I’m gonna give this a rating of high 70s for now, likely to be adjusted when I have more experience in the field. This was a beautiful tea and experience, and I’m glad I gave it a shot. I didn’t experience any bitterness from this tea like I did with my bad experience Western style attempt many moons ago – Yay for potential oolong appreciation!

I do like this one. It is a good quality iron goddess. It is buttery and slightly sweet with a hint of vegetal notes. Reminds me a little of thier Milk Oolong. I am really enjoying iron goddess teas lately.

Sipdown! I pretty much just decided to get through all my oolongs since then I can compare them and figure out what I like or don’t like about them, at least in terms of my sample oolongs. This one? It’s got that floral undertone that I don’t like….pretty much this is an average every day middle of the road oolong. I don’t outright hate it, I don’t love it.

Meh. I second pretty much every tasting note here.
This is a nice standard green oolong. Very basic, nothing special. There are no odd hidden flavours or even ones that pop out and say “hi”!
Pretty much, it is what I expected and to be honest I can see myself needing this every once in awhile. This business of having fabulous teas all the time is a little dramatic and sometimes I just want a cup of simplicity. Well folks, this is about as tame as it gets!
but it is relatively smooth and vegetal. On the fourth steep, when it was hot, I got a surprising buttery note. and then the standard sweetness…
Overall, I’d buy it again but not before trying most of the other ones out there.

So I have drank this oolong many, many times, and haven’t yet wrote a review on it!! Well, no time like the present.

The dry leaf smell is very vegetal and fresh smelling. I steeped this for 5 mins, at around 95 degrees C. Wet leaf: mmmmmm, soo good. A toasty veggie smell with creaminess. I love the smell of this tea! The leaves get gigantic, almost overflow my steeping basket (I used 1.5 tsps). Lovely green leaves, pretty good for re-steeping too.

As for the taste, this tea is quite delicious. A very smooth cup, with underlying creaminess and a vegetal flavor. I don’t really get any of the floral that has previously been mentioned. Mostly just smooth, buttery flavor. Slightly reminiscent of DAVIDsTEA’s milk oolong, but not quite as buttery and creamy.

Overall, I quite enjoy this oolong. It’s pretty good for a pure oolong, but I must say, the milk oolong is still my favorite by DAVIDsTEA. But as this one is nicer on the pocketbook, I will definitely drink it again and again.

ETA: Resteeped, just as lovely, a bit more mellow and not as strong but the buttery flavor almost comes out more. Very enjoyable!!

1.5 tbsp for 375 ml

Milky sweetness. Orchid floral tone. Fresh-tasting. Hint of grapefruit oolong tone, especially in the aftertaste.

My 2-year-old daughter and I entered a local Valentine’s Day contest wherein we had to collaborate with another person on a Valentine’s card + poem. I let her colour the background with crayons, while I wrote a cheesy little love poem from a seahorse and then drew the seahorse on after she’d completed her part. We managed to win the “multi-age category”, which means I now have a $50 gift card to the downtown mall burning a hole in my pocket! Now, people have suggested that since my daughter helped with the Valentine, that she should get a little of the prize too… and I agree except she doesn’t really need anymore clothes, toys, or candy and I’d go with books, but there’s no bookstore in the mall.

There is, however, a DAVIDsTEA. And since my little girl seems to appreciate a good cuppa—especially if I’ve just made a tea latte—it seems like the perfect place to blow the money where we can both get something out of it.

Thus, we ventured in on Tuesday to peruse their selection and inquire about the upcoming Spring Collection (since I figured I might as well hold out til then if a bunch of new + exciting teas are on their way). The sales associate helping me didn’t divulge much other than there will be some fruity teas and then asked if she could help me with anything for now… and I ended up coming home with four small bags of Vanilla Orchid, Citron Oolong, Ginseng Oolong, and this tea… which I am drinking right now.

In an attempt to get the best out of this tea I am attempting a hybrid gaiwan/western style brewing… AKA: leaves in DAVIDsTEA steeper, 3 second wash, then short infusions thereafter…

First steep @ 92°C for 1 min: creamy, buttery greens, with the slightest hint of lingering sweetness. After the washing stage I wasn’t sure this had even brewed since the colour is so pale, but the flavour is definitely there, like a milk oolong without the milkiness.

Second steep @ 93°C for 80 sec: Slightly stronger in flavour, with more mineral-like notes coming through. Less vegetal.

Third steep @ 95°C for 1.5 min: Basically the same as the second and just as flavourful!

Fourth steep @ 96°C for 2 min: And… still flavourful! I could probably get a couple more steeps out of the leaves, but I’m starting to feel oolong-logged… so. much. tea.

★★★★

A semi-high quality organic Tie Kwan Yin.
A nice slight hint of honey on the nose.
Gently grassy and floral with a clean tangy finish.
All the qualities of a good ‘Iron Goddess’ are here…
I don’t think I would classify it as Monkey Picked quality, but it’s very close.

My Ratings…
★ = Didn’t Hate It.
★★ = Not Bad.
★★★ = Me Likey.
★★★★ = Impressive!
★★★★★ = AwesomeSauce!

1.25 tsp for 250mL water @90C, steeped four minutes.

Tie Kwan Yin, or, Iron Goddess of Mercy, is the tea with the best name, hands down. It’s also the first oolong I ever tried, and I fell hard for it.

This one has some notes similar to Quangzhou milk, as though someone a ferw desks down had just made some Quangzhou. This is not a creamy oolong, of course, instead floral and slightly mineral. Good body, lovely mouthfeel, lots of nuance. If I can’t have Quangzhou, I turn to supplicate the Iron Goddess.

More and more I’m becoming a big fan of oolongs. They surprised me since I hadn’t really had many, but the more I try, the more I am definitely willing to try more. If anything, I’m finding I prefer the straight oolongs to the flavoured, something that is extremely rare for me in teas. So long live the oolongs, as they have captured this tea drinker’s heart.

This one was delightful on first sip. I totally could have sat and drank the entire cup without adding anything, but just to try it I tossed in a bit of sugar. It totally changed the flavour, to something equally delightful. Unfortunately, horrible creature that I am, I fell asleep halfway through the cup. Lazy Saturdays are great until they become too lazy!!

I woke up a couple hours later to an extremely cold cup of tea, but instinctively I grabbed and sipped. And wow, even hours later and ice cold it was lovely! Definitely getting more of this one!

This one was a gift, so not a tea I would normally choose myself…

First impression – Dry leaf different than the bundled little rolls that I so enjoy. Almost looks like the leaves were chewed on a bit, mushed into a compressed little shape and then left to dry. But in a nice way. The smell is rather strong and vegetal, not the kind of tea that makes me want to stick my nose in the bag and inhale for days.

Once steeped, the smell is a lot stronger and doesn’t captivate me, but : the liquor is the most amazingly beautiful pale pale lime green! (There is now a strong war going on between this and Mother’s Little Helper in terms of prettiest tea in my clear mug. ) The unfurled leaves are wonderful and make me want to be a photographer.

Flavour First steep, nude, and with no expectations, this tea has as strong a flavour as its smell. Fairly astringent, light-medium bodied and vegetal, Tie Kwan Yin is nice, but a tad too… something for me to fully enjoy. I’m left searching for the floral notes that are mentioned everywhere.

Loveability I’ll see how this one feels in the next two steeps, and I’ll try playing around with a touch of sweetness, but I don’t this is a tea I would ever crave or buy again. Would be a pleasant “company” tea, though.

To-go, courtesy of the $1 “straight tea” promotion. I was really wanting some kukicha but they didn’t have any, so I went with this as a mellow alternative, and it served me well.

This is a tasty but not remarkable Tie Kwan Yin. Sweet, floral, but a bit subdued. I wasn’t sure about the T-sac in a cup situation for an Oolng so I think it performed really well under the circumstances. I left it in longer than intended and there wasn’t even a touch of bitterness.

I have never tasted an oolong before, but this seemed like a good starter. The leaves are a bright green and have a deep smell. After brewing it’s smell was very buttery and, though I might be crazy, reminded me of my French bread dough right before I pop it in the oven. My roomie assures me I am crazy and it has a floral smell, reminding her of lantana flowers. Her nose is probably better than mine. It is a very light color but the taste was pronounced, mostly it tasted like it smelled.
The second steep I did not use an infuser, because it looked like my basket was to small for the leaves. I think it was for the best, because the tea expanded quite a bit more, and the liquid was darker when poured. It tasted about the same, but with more spinach-y flavors to it.
The third steep had the most vegetal taste. I found all three steeps to be very flavorful, and thought this tea was a great intro into oolongs.

Another unflavoured oolong to measure up against my Tung Ting Vietnam. Since oolong is actually from China and not Vietnam I decided I had to try this one out (and Quangzhou Milk oolong the other day).

Pretty good I must say, but I’m getting a more floral taste. Overall a great tea, but I prefer the Tung Ting Vietnam.

Got this for a 2/$5 deal in those sample bags kits they had on for clearance.

I’m not an Oolong tea drinker but for the first time trying, this one is nice. Not sure what Oolong should taste like and it’s nothing distinct yet I’ve had myself reaching for this tea and had about 3 cups of this in the past week. I guess it’s good in my books!

Dried, this tea looks as if it will taste delicious. it’s comprised of tightly, not-quite-uniformly rolled, emerald green leaves. There’s an earthy smell to them with hints of jasmine. When brewed, the whole leaves are about two inches long, thick and rubbery, olive green with ragged edges. The liquor is pale yellow, and the taste is definitely primarily “oolong.” The floral notes come out mostly in the scent and the first few infusions, and then there is a buttery, caramelized sugar undertone that comes out at the front of the taste which really gives it some depth. It’s delicate with a dry finish, and the jasmine scent lingers on the tongue. I brewed this gong fu style and got about 7 or 8 infusions out of it (I wasn’t counting).

I loooooove oooooolongs, and this was my first (a couple of years ago). Now that I’ve tried others, I love it even more. Floral, sweet, amazing. <3 It holds up well to multiple steepings.

As much as I love stronger teas this one is a keeper. It’s a treat to your senses in all forms – dry, steeped and sipped. Spring is all over this tea – dry it smells like very light honey, steeped you start to distinguish grassiness and fresh spring flowers and on tasting it all of these nuances come together in a delicious beverage. This tea has a fresh aftertaste for a long time making you crave more. You’ll be smelling your cup long after you’re done drinking it. It really makes me think of sunny flower fields and light summer breeze.

Tie Kwan Yin is my favorite type of oolong tea. It does not require long steep to bring out the flavor. If you like to have a light oolong, this is it for you.

I’ve tried various type of Tie Kwan Yin before, but none of them are organic. Does it make a difference? For me, I really can’t tell. If I have them side by side I may able to but…all of my other Tie Kwan Yin are gone!! They are too good to just sit on the shelf. Still, the color, smell, and flavor are just what I remembered.

I personally recommend to use Gongfu Cha(工夫茶) style to steep this tea. Now, this is different from what DAVIDsTEA suggesting, nor I’m saying they are wrong. I just like this way better, and my way is different from the traditional Gongfu Cha…haha!
Here’s the steps I use:
-use a small tea pot(cup sized or a infuser ball), fill it about 1/2 or 2/3 of tea
-Use boiling water, steep for 10~30s, dump the water this time.
-Use boiling water again, steep for 1~2min, depends on how strong you want.

This way will give you a light but flavorful tea. With this method, you can steep the tea 3~6 times, depends on the amount of tea and water. This method also works on some straight oolong as well.