Anxi Tieguanyin is the finest grade of Oolong tea. The tea leaves are tightly rolled, plump, round, firm, evenly shaped, and have a sand-green color. After brewing, the tea soup is a golden amber color, resembling琥珀, with a natural, rich orchid fragrance. The taste is mellow, sweet, and fresh, with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste, commonly known as having "Yin Yun" (charm rhyme). Anxi Tieguanyin tea has a high and持久 aroma,可谓 "still fragrant after seven brews".

Using tea tree varieties like Tieguanyin as raw material and processed with the specific Tieguanyin method, the resulting tea possesses a strong orchid fragrance and a special sweet,甘露-like taste,即 the so-called "Guanyin Yun". Its unique floral and fruity aromas are not created by scenting with flowers like jasmine or magnolia but are natural fragrances evoked by the Tieguanyin tea cultivar, climate, season, and unique processing techniques.

Authentic Anxi Tieguanyin has aroma types such as orchid, osmanthus, and芝兰香. Those made from tea tree varieties like Hongxin and Lanying have aroma types like milky floral,密兰香,青芳香, and ripe韵香.

 

 

Anxi Tieguanyin is the finest grade of Oolong tea. The tea leaves are tightly rolled, plump, round, firm, evenly shaped, and have a sand-green color,整体 resembling a dragonfly head, spiral body, and frog legs. After brewing, the tea soup is a golden amber color, with a natural, rich orchid fragrance. The taste is mellow, sweet, and fresh, with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste, commonly known as having "Yin Yun". Anxi Tieguanyin tea has a high and持久 aroma,可谓 "still fragrant after seven brews".

So the question arises: Why is Anxi Tieguanyin so fragrant?

1. Experimental research shows that Anxi Tieguanyin contains the richest variety of aroma components. Moreover, the proportion of medium and low boiling point aroma components is significantly greater than in Oolong teas made from other tea cultivars.

 

 

2. The processing of Anxi Tieguanyin revolves entirely around developing its aroma, which is also a key reason for its high fragrance and醇厚 taste. Fixation (kill-green) is the process of halting enzymatic reactions. Tieguanyin belongs to Oolong tea. Oolong tea is semi-fermented, and its processing involves enzymatic fermentation reactions. Therefore, green tea has a pure tea fragrance, while Oolong tea has aromas resulting from chemical reactions. The prerequisite for these chemical reactions is physical manipulation. Unlike black tea, Oolong tea controls the fermentation time, with the control standard being aroma—the stage of peak fragrance is used as the basis for stopping fermentation through fixation. Sun-withering aims to evaporate moisture and activate enzymes. As moisture evaporates, aroma easily emerges. It is generally withered until the leaves "droop" (leaf tips下垂), and a fragrance appears. Over-withering affects the aroma development during shaking, while under-withering results in a raw, green taste. Shaking (rocking) damages the leaf edges, causing oxidation and polymerization of茶多酚 at the edges and releasing some aroma components.

3. The degree of fermentation is key to affecting the concentration of the tea soup and也是 crucial in shaping the aroma style. The floral and清香 aromas we often mention are the result of light fermentation. Additionally, low-temperature repeated roasting ensures that Anxi Tieguanyin's aroma is high, enduring, and隽永.

Source: Anxi Tieguanyin Tea Culture