Monkey Picked Tie Guan Yin
DESCRIPTION
Monkey Picked Tie Guan Yin has been Imperial Tea Court’s signature tea ever since we opened our doors back in the summer of 1993. The tea that was wild grown in the Wuyi Mountains was once so rare and difficult to harvest that it was said only monkeys could gather leaves from such inaccessible mountainsides. Therefore, South China tea merchants traditionally called their best tea “monkey-picked” to signify its rarity. A proprietor’s monkey-picked tea is like their calling card, representing their personality and tea philosophy. We find this batch of Monkey Picked so intriguing that we’ve decided to adjust our standard firing techniques from high temperatures to a low-mid temperature setting. This is done to enhance the tea’s floral notes as well as to bring out fruitiness. This un-aggressive roasting technique not only preserves the tea’s jade green appearance, but also enhances and concentrates the depth and richness of flavor, resulting in an extremely silky and thick textured mouth-feel with an insistently long finish. This special batch of Monkey Picked is one of our favorite batches in years. Hurry so you can enjoy with us before it sells out!
GROWING REGION
Fujian, China
BREWING SUGGESTIONS
Monkey Picked Tie Guan Yin may be prepared in many ways, but for best results we recommend traditional gongfu preparation using a good Yi Xing clay pot. Fill a pre-warmed teapot 1/4 to as much as 1/2 full with tea leaves and cover with hot, but less than boilling water [85-95C (185-203F)] and infuse for 1-5 minutes, depending on desired intensity. Use a lower water temp for more floral notes, heighten water temp for more intensity. Pour out into a pitcher or directly into warmed tasting cups and enjoy. Monkey-Picked Tie Guan Yin may be infused several times by gradually increasing steeping time and water temperature. Always adjust quantity of leaves, infusion time, and water temperature according to your personal preferences.
Not only is this Tie Guan Yin (aka Iron Goddess) one of the most unique tasting and refreshing teas, it’s also so beautiful to look at –
I find the taste to be full-bodied, boldly “green” and fresh, but not grassy or bitter. By “green” tasting I mean like eating fresh steamed vegetable greens – not really typical “green tea” flavor. Gives me some caffeine kick but not overpowering and looking at the tea leaves after they are brewed – unfurling balls of richly deep green tea leaves – also reinforces the flavor profile I get. IT makes for one of the best loose leaf tea brewing and sipping experiences.
this is the best Tieguanyin I think I’ve ever tasted! So much so that I immediately ordered a larger batch.It has an upfront fresh mix of subtle flavors that are a genuine delight from the first sip–it makes me “smile out loud”!And the tea retained its personality after several steeps.
It’s hard to stay away from this tea, the flavors in it are so remarkably alive—With every sip there are different nuances popping up in flavor!
This is the best Tie Guan Yi I have ever had!
This was a surprise Christmas gift for my daughter who loves to eat at the restaurant when open. I believe this was her favorite present. She uses it at work daily and it helps relax her. Service was swift and there was a surprise in the package along with what I ordered. Thank you!