Claudius conducts an inspection of the tea leaves.
Name: Ti Kuan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy)
Brand: thepuriTea
Type: Oolong
Form: Loose leaf
Review: Ti Kuan Yin is my favorite type of tea, so reviewing it can be both a joy and a challenge. A joy because, if the tea is good, I get to drink plenty of it, and a challenge, because I can be kind of picky.
I wasn’t sure what to make of thepuriTea’s offering, as the olive-colored leaf seemed somewhat small and ordinary looking and had no discernible scent. In fairness, a lot of good teas don’t have a strong dry nose (and in fact, if the dry nose of a tea is too good, there is a decent chance that it is adulterated), though I have often found Ti Kuan Yins to be an exception to this rule.
Claudius enjoys a cup of Ti Kuan Yin himself.
The tea infused to a light yellow-green with a faint nose of lilac. Surprisingly, the tea’s flavor proved to be quite strong, and I didn’t need a lot of leaf to produce a very tasty cup. On the palate, this tea is floral with a hint of green veggies, and very smooth. This medium bodied liquor isn’t particularly subtle, but it is sturdy, balanced, and long-lasting (I’ve got at least six steeps from these leaves, and they show no sign of quitting.). Even better, thepuriTEa’s Ti Kuan Yin works well in a variety of brewing methods. I tried gong-fu style brewing with both a gaiwan and Yixing pot, as well as a more standard steep in a glass teapot. All methods worked well.
While this isn’t a top-notch Ti Kuan Yin, it is a a tasty, affordable, everyday version of my favorite tea. This is a very fine thing.
Sample Provided by Retailer: Yes
Affiliate Links in this Post: Yes
Tieguanyin Oolong Tea
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