So, what is aged Tieguanyin?

Aged Tieguanyin refers to tea that has been processed from refined tea leaves using traditional methods, baked over longan wood charcoal at a low temperature for an extended period, and then sealed and stored in ceramic jars. It is typically re-baked every two years or so. Such long-term storage generally requires over 8 years, with some even stored for twenty years.

Can such high-quality Tieguanyin be bought on the market?

Generally, the aged Tieguanyin commonly found or referred to in tea markets is simply Tieguanyin that has been stored for a long time. In reality, this does not produce traditional aged Tieguanyin.

The image above shows new Tieguanyin made using traditional methods.

Broadly speaking, most aged Tieguanyin refers to Tieguanyin from previous seasons that remains unsold after the new tea harvest. In this sense, aged Tieguanyin also includes both light-fragrance and robust-fragrance types, which involve quite different production processes. Light-fermented, fragrant Tieguanyin has been popular for over a decade, while truly standard robust-fragrance Tieguanyin has only emerged in recent years. However, the aged Tieguanyin popular in the current "aged tea trend" must be produced from traditional Tieguanyin. Traditional Tieguanyin is suitable for long-term storage, whereas fragrant Tieguanyin is not. Therefore, authentic aged Tieguanyin is made using traditional methods. The use of traditional production techniques nearly ceased in the late 1990s, making such tea hard to find. Thus, only Tieguanyin produced in the early 1990s retains traditional craftsmanship. During the era when fragrant Tieguanyin was popular, only a very small amount of Tieguanyin has survived to this day. It can be said that encountering aged Tieguanyin is a stroke of luck.

The image above shows aged Tieguanyin mixed with honey.

Aged Tieguanyin in the Tea Homeland

In Anxi, many tea farming households have the habit of storing Tieguanyin. Furthermore, when aged Tieguanyin reaches fifteen years, it is baked again and mixed with pure honey. After another five years, it becomes an excellent health care product, specifically for gastrointestinal functions. Locally, tea farmers use this tea to treat children and pregnant women, applying it to almost any ailment. It is widely believed in Anxi that this tea can cure all diseases, but its proven effects include aiding digestion, relieving bloating, and dispelling summer heat.