Aged Traditional Anxi Tieguanyin

Tea type
Oolong Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Roasted, Dark Bittersweet
Sold in
Not available
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Autumn Hearth
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 1 min, 15 sec 16 oz / 473 ml

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19 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Trying this a second time (paying more attention), and am definitely enjoying it. A 30-second infusion (with no rinse) gives a very caramelly brew, kind of like a toasted caramel sort of flavour....” Read full tasting note
    89
  • “Sipdown #31 Some teas are hard to let go of. You know you can only drink it one more time, & then it’s gone forever…sigh… I listened to “Time to Say Goodbye”, sung by Bocelli & Brightman,...” Read full tasting note
  • “Ohhh wow. I have never had a Tieguanyin that tastes so chocolatey! With each sip I take I make sure to breath in deep with my nose. Oh the senses! All my senses are touched and tingling (oh my!)....” Read full tasting note
    100
  • “Yup this is GOOD! I am totally getting a very light Lime note in the background. I like that. Its like a cleansing of the palate after the smoky, roasty, caramel flavor hits your mouth then this...” Read full tasting note
    100

From Verdant Tea

The early steepings of this tea are surprisingly more delicate than the aroma would imply. There are subtle notes of lime and the thick saffron qualities of a green Tieguanyin. The mouthfeel is buttery like flaky pastry with a slow nuanced build-up of warm caramel notes. A velvety texture starts to come through with orchid-like floral undertones, and sweetness that extends long into the aftertaste.

The early steepings use the deep caramel qualities that the aging and roasting process introduce to truly accentuate everything that is wonderful about green Tieguanyin. The later steepings move into new territory with warming sensations particularly suited to cooler weather. The chocolate notes of the aroma come through as flavor like thick creamy Italian hot chocolate that unfolds into a warm in the chest like that of a great red wine.

Notes of puffed rice and barley start to build up and act as a contrast to the lingering floral qualities. The alternation between deep warming sensations and tingling florals creates an intriguing mouth watering juiciness. This is a very satisfying brew that balances the traditional charcoal-roasted quality of Anxi Tieguanyin with the best elements of the new greener style of processing.

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19 Tasting Notes

89
6105 tasting notes

Trying this a second time (paying more attention), and am definitely enjoying it. A 30-second infusion (with no rinse) gives a very caramelly brew, kind of like a toasted caramel sort of flavour. Very tasty. I was tempted to let the first infusion go for a full minute, but am glad I didn’t – I’m getting a bit of astringency at the end of the sip which is bothering my somewhat-sore throat. I had been craving this tea (inexplicably, as I didn’t really know what it tasted like!) since last night, so my palate is finally satisfied. Hopefully I’ll get to additional infusions tomorrow; it’s past my bedtime!

ETA: Honey, caramel, a bit of chocolate…. this second infusion (30s) is truly delicious. The third infusion (45s) is definitely a bit more watery, and could probably have either used less water or a longer infusion (it also could be that I’m comparing it to this unbelievable second infusion). Either way, this one’s a treat. I’m not getting “tea drunk” the way that other perhaps have, but I’m quite enjoying actually getting these tasty flavours here. There is definitely a dark chocolate undertone and aftertaste in that second infusion for me. Glad I picked up 2 oz. of this stuff, so I’ll be able to enjoy it for a while. Now, I just need the light roast version to produce some magic for me…

ETA again: Whoops! Apparently the fourth infusion can be oversteeped! Yikes! It’s not terrible and I’m getting some interesting notes in here, but it’s kind of bitter. Not sure how long it was left for (5 or so minutes?) but given the relative lack of aroma of the leaves, I assumed they were almost done. Apparently I was wrong. I’m getting a bit of the “ice wine” flavour that I’ve had from Butiki’s Gui Fei oolong, so kind of a rich, dark sweetness (but not really sweet), plus a bit of floral? And a woody/dark kind of background, as previously. Hrm. Maybe I won’t throw those leaves out yet, although I would really like to empty out all my infusers… gotta start reviewing all my Butiki straight teas!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec
Sil

I really need to try my sample of this one today…

Bonnie

I cold brew my spent leaves and the taste is really nice in my opinion.

Kittenna

Good to know! I have limited fridge room so can’t cold brew much, but hopefully I can try it at some point!

Babble

LOL. I usually have at least 2 teas cold brewing in the fridge at any given time. My dad is like, “Why do we need all these jars in the fridge??”

Kittenna

Hahaha, nice! I was like that briefly during the summer, but with big plastic cups :D

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3294 tasting notes

Sipdown #31
Some teas are hard to let go of. You know you can only drink it one more time, & then it’s gone forever…sigh…
I listened to “Time to Say Goodbye”, sung by Bocelli & Brightman, on youtube while drinking some of the steepings of this tea, tears streaming down my face because the song is beautiful, their voices are so beautiful…sigh…farewell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohXI3po8hK0

JustJames

=0)
remarkable, to be sure!

Angrboda

I love Sarah Brightman! She’s fantastic.

Terri HarpLady

She is!! And so is Bocelli!

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100
516 tasting notes

Ohhh wow.

I have never had a Tieguanyin that tastes so chocolatey! With each sip I take I make sure to breath in deep with my nose. Oh the senses! All my senses are touched and tingling (oh my!). And a touch of caramel! I’ve only just begun with this tea, but it was so good I had to come start writing it down. I never want to forget this experience.

ooo I just smelled the wet leaves. So roasty and smokey, hints of cigar in the smell but not the taste. I could smell this all day – the aroma is hitting the back of my throat and reminding me of my trip to Cuba. Sipping wine and puffing back the most sweet and delicious cigars I’ve ever tasted. I’m also getting some sort of citrus fruit in the smell, like a smokey lime almost. Something spunky.

The taste is all lush though, definitely some floral notes are playing with my buds but it’s like a creamy french dessert. I’m intoxicated! I’m in love.

EDIT: A few (maybe more) cups later and I’m with HyBr1d – I think this is the first tea that has given me a real sense of ChaQi. I’m going to have to try a little more leaf with my puerhs to see what other teas can make me feel this good. To be honest – my face is flushed, I’m feeling an overwhelming sense of calm, but heightened awareness as well. I don’t want to put it into words or over analyze too much, in case it goes away! I’m perfectly content to stay here forever.

Azzrian

AWESOME REVIEW!!!! :) Enjoy your bliss!

Kittenna

Yes, I definitely need to try this one again…

HyBr1d

I’m glad you enjoyed the tea Daisy! It really is an amazing feeling getting “tea drunk” :) I think it has a great taste, and I saw you thought it does have some of the brr “flavor.” I hope you enjoy what you have left! Just so you know, the first time I brewed this, I used 5g of tea with 4oz of water, one rinse, and then short steeps. I love that even if you brew too long, it doesn’t get overly bitter, it seems to be a pretty forgiving tea!

Daisy Chubb

Sounds great! I’m doing the same right now, approx 5g in my little gaiwan – I’m combining 2 steeps at a time but keeping them relatively short. Definitely going to try a “western” brew with it too – but tonight I’m feeling like I have the energy to keep my gaiwan goin! :D

HyBr1d

Sounds good :) Personally, I find myself normally doing western steepings with black teas, and the short steepings with oolongs :)

Bonnie

You found your party tea! I have my few too. Amazing when it happens it feels so good. My granddaughter Schey got her first buzz at the Tea Festival in Boulder and was all giggley, like she had too much wine or something walking around sipping samples at all the tea vendor tables. Really funny. Glad you’re having a good time!

Indigobloom

I haven’t had tea buzz for ages! it’s an amazing sensation :P

Sil

So need to try my sample of this when i get home :)

Daisy Chubb

It really is amazing! Man tea is a life changer.

Charles Thomas Draper

This is what we look for in our Tea….

James R

How many seconds did you do each brew?

Daisy Chubb

I started at 2 seconds and added 2 seconds to each subsequent brew – until I got to about 10 seconds – then I did 10, 20, 30 second steeps and so on!

HyBr1d

Hey Daisy, how’s it going? Last day of the season at work today, so ill finally have tons of time to spend on tea!!! I don’t know if you saw the new thing Verdant is doing, being able to vote on which blend they will make!!! Hopefully if it goes well, David will let us vote on straight teas, which I think would be really cool!

Btw, I’m stringing out my aged TGY, while I’d love to drink it every day, I think I may go through some serious withdrawal when I eventually run out :( Anyways, have a great day!

Daisy Chubb

Hey! I did see that – I definitely voted. I can’t wait to see where it takes us!

I’m baking a bunch of stuff for a friends Thanksgiving supper today – so I think I might join you and have a session with this tea to relax and re-energize. Well, now that you have me thinking about it, I think I need it! haha! You have a great day too :)

HyBr1d

That is what I think is so nice about the tea, it is a very relaxing brew! I don’t know if ill have some tonight…depends on how many steeps of Laoshan Black I have at work today. Then tomorrow, I’m going to be brewing some white leaf Dancong, which was a private reserve sample that I can’t wait to try!

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100
807 tasting notes

Yup this is GOOD! I am totally getting a very light Lime note in the background. I like that.
Its like a cleansing of the palate after the smoky, roasty, caramel flavor hits your mouth then this light zing of a lime flavor comes in and does a little clean up for the saffron and floral after taste to take over!
Have you ever eaten a flower?
I get Spring Mix salad from the store and it has some violets and orchids in it YUMMY! This tastes exactly like that! Fresh and springy yet dark and roasty at the same time!
Perfection!

Insence&Tea

I’m drinking their spring handpicked tieguanyin right now and it is soooo good. This is definitely on my wish list for my next order :)

Indigobloom

wow this sounds amzing

James R

I’ve got some of that on the way…how did you brew it?

Azzrian

I used a mesh strainer and tea cup with steeping lid – nothing fancy at all this time around.

James R

Oh I meant time/temperature!

Azzrian

Ohhh well – in the beginning … I did the short steeps (a matter of seconds) did that about three times at 208 but then I just started letting it sit because I was working, then I was laying on the sofa drifting into a sleep, then I woke up and remembered my steep (15 minutes later) it was cold BUT it was still awesome – you can’t mess this stuff up! Then I got back up and was still sleepy and let it steep about 5 minutes.
But around the time I went to the sofa – I used my Zojiroushi (sp?) Anyway that was set at 195 but it worked fine.
Yeah I was lazy with a good tea – I should be shamed. :)

James R

Sounds good!

Zoltar

Love tea you can’t mess i do forget about them sometimes some become so bad after over-steep that everything i drink taste like it for 3 hours

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100
250 tasting notes

Second review of the day!

I actually prepared this astounding Tieguanyin in my new Finum brew basket, whic greatly simplified the process of making tea. This first infusion was steeped for 15 seconds in near-boiling water, which resulted in a rather weak infusion, since I didn’t wash the leaves first. This is pretty typical of Tieguanyins that I’ve tried before, so wasn’t discouraged. The flavor was very sweet, a bit like caramel, but since the leaves haven’t really started to open up the flavor is pretty muted. The texture of the tea is very smooth and creamy, which lingers on the tongue for a good three whole minutes, which is also amazing. My other aged Tieguanyin is similar, but this tea just takes everything to a whole new level.

Second cup, 10 second steep. The thing of note here is that the leaves have started to open up, so there falvors are much more intense, with caramel and something akin to chocolate dominating the palate. The texture of the tea is decidedly creamy now, and it lingers for at least three minutes now. I actually can’t resist taking another sip after three minutes, so that experiment is pretty much a bust now. Also, it should be noted that the caramel is actually stronger than the chocolate, resulting in a very sweet cup of tea.

Third cup, I actually lost track of time, so I don’t know how long this one steeped. Even though it’s provbably oversteeped, it’s still sweet and creamy, which is a pleasant surprise. The chocolate flavor is a bit stronger now, which is expected, so there’s no reason to mourn the loss of the caramel flavor, since I’m pretty sure it will be back. All in all, this cup wasn’t the best, but it’s still far better than my other one.

Fourth infusion, 30 seconds. This, this cup is pretty much perfection. Warm, sweet caramel flows through my mouth, leaving behind interesting flavors that are starting to emerge from beneath the chocolate. The delightful flavors dance across the tongue, then move up to the hard palate where they linger for three minutes, after which I can’t tkae it any longer and I have another sip. This, this is like the Platonic ideal of an aged tieguanyin.

Fifth infusion, 1 minute. This is where the flavor is really starting to get complex. There are a bunch of things muddled together, and it’s really hard to make out what everything is. The creaminess is fading, only peaking through at the very beginning of the aftertaste before it wades away into a pleasant tingly sensation on the hard palate. I think there is something a bit citusy present, but I can’t quite put my figer on it…

Sixth and seventh infusions were let to steep until I felt like they were done. They were both very complex, with subtle flavors that never really asserted themselves. There was a hint of citrus, a touch of spice, but other than that, I can’t really say. Regardless, this was an amazing tea, and I’m really glad that David actually sold it to us instead of keeping it to himself. I don’t know if I could have done that…

Music of the Day #2Mare Nostrum directed by Jordi Savall

I’m a sucker for good historically-informed perfromances, and this is by the same people as the previous album. This album actually focuses on the Mediteranean Sea, after which the album is titled (Mare Nostrum is the Latin name). The pieces on this album come from as early as Classical Antiquity and as late as 1690, and follow the themse of Mediteranean culture.

Sample – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bIoe8JXhQk

ashmanra

Lovely music!

Joshua Smith

I’m glad you enjoyed it!

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99
300 tasting notes

Many thanks to David and the folks at Verdant Tea for including this as a complimentary sample with the Dragonwell pre-order. This smells amazing, there is no mistake that this was charcoal roasted but it smells so much more appetizing than the few I’ve had recently. Also the taste on this one is immediately sweet, like the leaves have been caramelized. This cup evokes chocolate covered raisins (though not the texture) and spinach pies, the good kind with the thin pastry layers and creme brûlée and scotch and smoke and everything that is good in this world!

This is a connoisseur’s tea and blows everything that I’ve recently been drinking out of the water. By all that is holy if Verdant gets a hold of more of this tea, buy it! I wish I had more of this to share and yet I am taking a break in my brewing right now. Do you know how sometimes when you get a new tea you cannot rush to the kettle to reinfuse it fast enough, either because it is so amazing you must have another steep or because it isn’t quite what you expected and you are hoping the next infusion give you something more I’m having the opposite problem with this tea, it is amazing and is giving me exactly what I want but I find myself super satiated by it’s decadentness. I will have to come back to it later this evening as I do want to get to the middle and late steepings to discover more. But oh my goodness so full and satisfied!

Spoonvonstup

Oh- I am so looking forward to trying this one!!

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97
13 tasting notes

This will be a short review, with a more detailed tasting coming after Oct 14th. It’s the end of the season where I work, and that means I’m basically on every day :( Luckily I have 5 months to recoup, and will be drinking TONS of tea!

This is my favorite tea from Verdant. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved all the teas I’ve tried, but this aged TGY is a stand out in my mind. #2 would be Laoshan Black, and while its not fair to compare an oolong and black tea, my preference lies with this aged jem! Subtle, but profound…it may be oxymoronic, but this tea has a subtle, yet very complex taste, one that builds over multiple steepings, and lingers on the palate for longer than anything I’ve tried, short of puer. The tea is somewhat floral, but not overtly so, it’s balanced by a caramelly, roasted flavor. Also, I taste a mineral, yancha taste that I normally get from wuyi oolongs, interesting since this is an anxi oolong!

But the most memorable quality of this tea is chaqi. To be honest, before this tea I really had no idea what it meant to be “tea drunk.” I knew what it meant after my 3rd gongfu type 4oz steeping! Hello clarity! Hello calm! It was so noticeable, that I’m surprised I’ve never had the feeling before…and so pleasant, as well!

Well, I’ve rambled a small post into a long post…all without having this tea in front of me! It was that memorable! Long live my 4oz of aged TGY, you are by far my favorite, and will be heartbroken when you are gone :(
That is, until David finds another…

Daisy Chubb

Wow, amazing review. I can’t wait for my package to arrive so I can sip alongside you (so to speak) ;)

HyBr1d

Why thank you so much! I sure hope you enjoy the tea! I forgot to include that both my mom and sister say that this aged TGY is the favorite tea they have sampled thus far… They are not tea diehards like me, but I always make them take a couple sips of each tea I brew :) So that’s another interesting aspect of this tea I find intriguing; I think this tea appeals to both non tea drinkers, and experienced(I’m still a novice, though) tea drinkers alike!

And let me know what you think when you try the tea, I find traces of Verdant’s Big Red Robe in the taste of this tea as well… I’m waiting on a cake of the Fuhai sheng puer, my first puer cake! Though I find it much harder to describe sheng puer, I’ll try my best :)
Thank you again for the kind words :)

Bonnie

I ordered the cake (MY FIRST) also, this is going to be a great addition! Love this tea too! I get that tea drunk off Laoshan White and the Xingyang 1998 puerh. REALLY GOOD STUFF!

HyBr1d

Hey there Bonnie :) I haven’t been on steepster very often in the last month :( But ill be on a lot pretty soon! I have so many teas to log…if I stopped buying tea today, I’d have enough to last probably 10-12 months… While I always get stuff from Verdant, I feel guilty as I had to try some other companies too, I think I got 4 different teas from Upton…And finally got my order from Dragon Teahouse, 8 different kinds. I feel heretical :(
I work at an Italian Ice business, and we have somewhere around 65 flavors, so I always have to try something, but Mango has always been my favorite. While I may not have it every time, it’s always there as my standby.. I guess you could say that Verdant is my Mango! While I will always try other teas(there’s just too many for just 1 company) when I want something I know I will like, I always find myself wanting something from Verdant!

Hope everything is going well, Bonnie! And isn’t it funny how you can start off a review by saying its going to be short, and then it just morphs into something much longer than you expected? Lol, the things good tea will make you do :) Take it easy, ill be back with some regularity in about two weeks :)

Daisy Chubb

Yes! Definitely notes of Big Red Robe (my favourite notes too!) but I am totally with you when it comes to being tea drunk thanks to this tea. I only have an ounce – but I have a feeling it’s going to go quick! Amazing tea

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412 tasting notes

I got a sample of this with my last Verdant order, and had trouble describing it. Very different from an un-aged Tieguanyin! If I were tasting this blind, I probably would have thought it was a roasted oolong, but a very rocky/mineral tasting one. It did give me a little bit of the happy energy that pu’erh often does though. A very interesting experience, certainly :)

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84
15575 tasting notes

Sipdown (145)!

This is a queued tasting note.

Finished this one off more than a week ago; I had my Dad over for tea so we shared the session. It was nice ‘cause it meant I got to use one of the larger gaiwans I own that’s just gorgeous but doesn’t get frequent use because of its size.

He actually picked out the tea we drank as well; just through listening to me go on and on about tea and through my sharing samples with him over the last three years whenever I’ve visited he’s actually kind of honed in on an area that fascinates him and which he sort of explores on his own now too; aged oolongs!

Anyway, we drank about eight infusions total although there were a couple in the middle that only he drank and some near the end that only I drank so neither of us got to experience the ‘full’ flavour evolution as this was brewed out. I’m too lazy to write paragraphs right now – so here are the jot notes. Thankfully I took relatively detailed ones this session…

- Starts off roasty, woody, nutty, sweet/honey
- This is the primary flavour for infusions one and two
- Almost a light caramel tone?
- Floral undertones develop after initial infusions
- Grassy finish which became stronger in later infusions
- Latest infusions had soft peach notes
- Rich, full bodied, and smooth
- Flavour deteriorates gracefully and quite gradually as the tea is brewed out

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37
737 tasting notes

Yeah…this one just tastes roasty to me. I don’t understand…it’s like whenever I try aged oolongs, they just end up roasted. And everyone’s tasting notes are seem to have all the flavors in them. How do I not get any of those teas? XD
I have no idea…Oh well…Maybe they are just not for me.
Thanks for the sample, Darby!

Flavors: Roasted

ThainofBuckland

This is how I feel about every unflavored tea all the time. xD Chocolate? Cherry? I’m lucky if I get the sweet potato flavors in black tea. I like a nice roasted Oolong, though.

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