Ti Kuan Yin from Serenity Teahouse
The first in my series of ti kuan yin teas is the only one from Taiwan.
Highly aromatic teas seem to be the hallmark of Taiwanese tea producers. This ti kuan yin might not be as aromatic as some of the other Taiwanese oolongs I’ve tried, but it still bears a lovely nose of sweet, almond-like nuttiness. One of the best things you can do with a tea like this is to warm the gaiwan or whatever teapot you’re using first, place the tea leaves in there, and then just suck in the aroma. You’ll be amazed at how much you can smell.
This is quite a green ti kuan yin, suggesting a shorter than normal oxidation process. It steeps into a light-coloured brew of green and gold, still bearing a remarkable sweet aroma, which now has fruitier notes (strawberries and sweet green grapes came to mind). The flavour profile isn’t nearly as sweet. Instead, it has a nutty sharpness (it’s quite drying on the tongue), with a hint of something vegetal, like a juicy steamed zucchini.
With the second and third infusions, I find that the sweetness of the aroma recedes, as the nutty character develops. I also notice a slight tartiness reminding me of rhubarb.
In the end, I find that this tea gives about five good infusions before it starts thinning out. I’ll be very interested to see how that compares with the other ti kuan yins I’m tasting this week. Stay posted for tomorrow’s edition!
Oh and by the way… Serenity Teahouse has a website here, but I’m not sure whether they ship beyond Australia. If you live around Melbourne though, I definitely recommend stopping in at their shop in Box Hill or on Russel Street in the CBD.