Anxi Tieguanyin production techniques hold three distinctions in the tea world: the most steps, the highest technical requirements, and the most complex! Its tea-making skills have been passed down unchanged for centuries. Only by strictly adhering to traditional methods and mastering the ancestral techniques to perfection can one produce the finest Anxi Tieguanyin! Every cup of Tieguanyin embodies the centuries-old artisan spirit of the Anxi people!
Tieguanyin is as heavy as iron and as beautiful as Guanyin.
Anxi Tieguanyin—a renowned premium variety of Oolong tea—originates from Anxi County in Fujian Province, the homeland of Oolong tea. The production area is surrounded by mountains and shrouded in mist year-round, featuring a subtropical monsoon climate. Shielded by the Minzhong Mountains to the northwest, it is protected from dry winter winds, while the southeast faces the Taiwan Strait, influenced by a maritime climate. The average annual temperature ranges from 15 to 18.5°C, with 292 frost-free days per year, annual rainfall of 1,700–1,900 mm, and relative humidity around 78%. The soil is mostly acidic red loam, rich in organic matter, making it an ideal environment for cultivating high-quality tea trees.
The characteristics of Tieguanyin tea trees include: a spreading canopy, slanting branches, and elliptical leaves; slightly drooping and uneven leaf tips with sparse, blunt serrations curling backward; thick, fleshy leaves with a wavy surface and pronounced ribbing; deep green, glossy leaves; and robust, slightly purplish-red shoots. The tea made from Tieguanyin leaves and its unique processing method is semi-fermented, earning the description 'heavy as iron, beautiful as Guanyin.'
The Artisan Spirit of Anxi Tieguanyin
Tieguanyin tea is of exceptional quality, with a distinct charm. The finished tea features tightly rolled, thick, and heavy strands, evenly balanced with a glossy, sandy green color and noticeable red spots. It has a dragonfly-head shape, spiral body, and frog-leg texture, with a frosted sandy green appearance. The brew is golden-yellow, rich, and clear, while the leaves are thick and bright with a satin-like sheen. The taste is mellow, sweet, and fresh, with a long-lasting aftertaste and a strong, rich aroma. Known as the 'King of Teas,' it is celebrated for its 'green leaves with red edges, remaining fragrant even after seven brews.'
Is Anxi Tieguanyin, famous for its 'orchid fragrance and Guanyin charm,' limited to just one flavor? Not at all.
The 'artisan spirit' is a concept long advocated in Anxi's tea industry. A great cup of tea combines the forces of 'heaven, earth, people, and variety.' Tieguanyin is a miraculous tea plant, and traditional Anxi Tieguanyin offers more than one flavor. Beyond the three nationally recognized types—refreshing, rich, and aged—variations in climate, terroir, and techniques produce Tieguanyin with orchid, green emperor, and sour emperor fragrances.