Verdant Tea

2021 Autumn Traditional Tieguanyin

2021 Autumn Traditional Tieguanyin

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Deep, satisfying,
old-school Tieguanyin
Autumn harvest brings more nutty flavor and creamy texture to this Anxi classic. Notes of fruit cake, elderflower, toasted hazelnut and cinnamon.
Autumn 2021 ♦ Partly-roasted Finish
Deep, satisfying,
old-school Tieguanyin
Autumn harvest brings more nutty flavor and creamy texture to this Anxi classic. Notes of fruit cake, elderflower, toasted hazelnut and cinnamon.
Autumn 2021 ♦ Partly-roasted Finish
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Crafted by Master Zhang

Environmentalist and award-winning craftsman, Master Zhang is committed to pioneering low-impact tea farming that replenishes natural forests on his high elevation Anxi mountain plot.
 
Master Zhang devotes his energy to introducing rare varietals of tea to increase biodiversity and researching ancient finishing techniques to make rich, aromatic oolong unlike anything else in the world.
    • DATE OF PICKINGNovember 2021
    • Daping VillageAnxi, Fujian
    • ELEVATION1000 m
    • TieguanyinTea Varietal

    Master Zhang excels at finishing his traditional Tieguanyin. He works to bring out the florals and strengthen them, allowing the green quality of the tea to shine through while providing a sweet and nuanced counterbalance through delicate roasting. Master Zhang's award-winning technique brings out the deep fruit and dark florals that don't have a chance to shine in greener, more modern finishes. This is the tea that Master Zhang grew up with and is his greatest passion. The mist shaded mountain air and sweet spring water make this true Tieguanyin varietal tea even more nuanced.

  • true
    95
    cinnamon, nutmeg
    true
    90
    toasted hazelnut, semolina
    true
    70
    violet, elderflower
    true
    80
    fruit cake
    true
    cooling, tingling

    Tasting Profile

    • spice - cinnamon, nutmeg
    • savory - toasted hazelnut, semolina
    • floral - violet, elderflower
    • fruit - fruit cake
    • texture - cooling, tingling

  • 'Daping’s natural mountain springs, perfect soil, and cool climate make it a paradise for tea. Master Zhang and his family have been growing in the mountaintops above Daping Village for as many generations back as they can trace.'


Master Zhang also recommends

  1. 1990 Aged Tieguanyin
    1990 Aged Tieguanyin
    This limited 1990 harvest of aged Tieguanyin stands out as unique from the others because the leaves were hand-processed by Master Zhang using traditional Oolong Revival style, where one end of leaf is slightly curled and the other is extended. Master Zhang describes the shape as a ‘dragonfly’. These leaves were turned and fluffed three times the normal standard for modern Tieguanyin. The result of this unique processing and the 25 years of age creates a deep shu pu’er-like earthy flavor most similar to the clean fermentation of Xingyang shu pu’ers. We have never tasted anything like this in an oolong. It has the foresty richness of shu pu’er but the sweet caramel aftertaste of oolong.
  2. 2022 Yun Xiang Tieguanyin
    2022 Yun Xiang Tieguanyin
    Yun is a complex concept. While it can be literally translated as “charm," the yun of a tea is more than simple appeal – yun is what makes the tea powerful and lingering beyond the common concept of aftertaste. Only the finest teas have a perceptible quality that would be described by professional Chinese tasters as yun. While there is no complete agreement on how to put "yun" into words, we notice a light cooling sensation and a tingling almost electrical texture on teas that have yun. This feeling builds up with every sip, making subsequent steepings more and more commanding. Master Zhang creates this through careful charcoal roasting over several long sessions and many days, relying on his experience and senses to get the finish perfectly right.
  3. 2005 Aged Wulong Revival
    2005 Aged Wulong Revival
    The “Dragonfly” style was the most traditional oolong finishing technique in Anxi before the rolled ball became popular. Master Zhang has been experimenting with this style for years as part of his work as a teacher and community leader for other farmers in Daping. Every year Master Zhang sets aside any interesting standouts for long term aging, which requires re-roasting every year to keep the moisture level as low as possible. The slow process of change brings out deep complexity and dark sweet undertones over many years. Master Zhang is sharing a portion of his personal reserve from early experiments for his revival project, giving us the chance to taste the first truly aged Revival Style Anxi oolong from Daping.
  • 5
    6-8
    208
    20 seconds
    10
    5
    6
    208
    10 seconds
    2
    5
    12
    room temp
    8 hours

    Steeping Instructions

    Western

    5 g.6-8
    oz.
    use 208° watersteep 20 secondsresteep many times
    add 10 sec. each infusion

    Gongfu

    5 g.6 ozuse 208° watersteep 10 seconds
    add 2 sec. per steeping
    enjoy many steepings

    Iced/Cold

    5 g.12
    oz.
    use room temp. waterrefrigerate overnight
    8 hours
    add ice & enjoy

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