It's All About Tea — tie guan yin

In our previous blog post on Tie Guan Yin, we already discussed the brief history and processing method of this delicious oolong tea. Tie Guan Yin remains a worldwide favorite amongst tea enthusiasts. It’s in the top ten of best Chinese teas, top three best Taiwanese teas, and indeed in most if not all best oolong categories! Let’s take a more in-depth look into why this is so. (Read more)

Years before tea became a standard beverage in Europe and North America, Chinese tea merchants created the myth of "Monkey Picked Tea."

At the time, tea for westerns was a wonder. They loved the unusual and exquisite taste. However, tea took so long to make its journey from China to Europe and North America. Most people were utterly clueless about how tea was grown and processed.

One myth that did prevail and kept tea drinkers interested and craving more tea was that the tea was picked by brilliant and well-trained monkeys. (Read more)

Today Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea, also known as Iron Goddess of Mercy or Iron Boddhisatva of Mercy, is listed in the top ten teas of China list. It is prevalent both in Taiwan and China, although the processing methods vary slightly.

For sure, when entering a tea shop in these countries, you are bound to see Tie Guan Yin on the menu. Even cafes in the West often list Iron Goddess as their oolong tea option. Production styles vary heavily. While in Taiwan Tie Guan Yin is known for its dark, heavily roasted taste, in China Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea producers, in particular, tend to stick to a light, floral roast. (Read more)