When wave after wave of new Tea enthusiasts vie for the honor of brewing a pot of fragrant Tieguanyin, those savvy veteran tea connoisseurs are leisurely continuing the traditions at the tea table, be it “Fengqing Yunnan Black Tea 1939,” “Pu'er Ripened Tea 1973″… and even more so, the “robust Tieguanyin” that can be low-key but never forgotten! Why? After drinking many types of tea, one gradually becomes a “veteran,” and as one slowly becomes a “veteran,” they start to become “savvy,” returning to that simple and genuine taste, giving the palate a classic continuation.

Let's break down the “four major misunderstandings” new tea friends have about robust Tieguanyin:

Misunderstanding One: The younger the tea leaves, the better

Many tea aficionados think that the younger the tea leaves, the better. In fact, the second and third leaves contain higher levels of substances than the bud.

Misunderstanding Two: Discarding the first infusion

Many tea enthusiasts habitually discard the first infusion. In reality, the first infusion contains over 40% of the nutrients. If one insists on “wetting the tea,” it must be done in under two seconds to prevent nutrient loss.

Misunderstanding Three: Robust Tieguanyin is a low-grade tea

The requirements for raw materials and craftsmanship in robust Tieguanyin are quite high. The making process and roasting temperature demand high standards, thus the production cost is also high. In terms of price, robust Tieguanyin of the same grade is priced higher than fragrant Tieguanyin.

Misunderstanding Four: Thinking that Tieguanyin means green soup and green leaves

All types of tea have their specific quality characteristics. Oolong Tea is a semi-fermented tea, traditionally with a golden yellow broth. The broth of modern fragrant Tieguanyin should also be golden yellow with a greenish hue, not bright green.

Robust Tieguanyin can be summarized in four words—traditional classic. First, its selection criteria are strict. Second, it requires a high level of skill from the maker, who must master the essence of Oolong Tea processing, which is “tea as the king, fire as the minister.” As such, high-quality robust Tieguanyin possesses “five advantages”:

Advantage One: A rich aroma, full-bodied flavor, and substantial mouthfeel. The color of the roasted tea is heavy, turning yellow or black, but the taste is very pure. Deep golden yellow broth represents the tea soup of robust teas.

Advantage Two: A combination of rice-roast aroma, orchid fragrance, and fruity sweetness. After being roasted, catechin substances transform, creating a mellow and robust flavor. The caramelization turns polysaccharides into monosaccharides, containing over 100 aroma compounds, more than fragrant Tieguanyin.

Advantage Three: Pronounced Tieguanyin character, both durable and preservable. Due to different roasting temperatures, robust Tieguanyin is divided into light, medium, and old roasts. It is further categorized into charcoal-roasted and oven-baked types based on roasting material, producing different aromas. Savvy veteran tea connoisseurs can enjoy different delightful tastes from these variations.

Advantage Four: Mild and digestive, gentle on the stomach. Robust Tieguanyin is slowly roasted over wood charcoal at a low temperature. High-quality Tieguanyin takes three days and nights, 72 hours to form. At minimum, it needs 12 hours of roasting. The roasted tea has a mild nature, better suited to human needs.

Advantage Five: Safe and hygienic. When making robust Tieguanyin, the tea is roasted for a long time at temperatures between 120 and 130°C, sterilizing it. Fragrant Tieguanyin is dried at temperatures below 100°C and, due to the roasting process, does not retain its aroma for long.