There are two typical representative teas of Minnan Oolong, let's compare these two teas today!
1. Tieguanyin
2. Minnan Narcissus
In China, there are three major production areas of Oolong tea
- Northern Fujian Oolong
- Minnan Oolong
- Guangdong Oolong
- Taiwan Oolong
Today we mainly talk about Minnan oolong.
Among them, Tieguanyin is the most typical representative of Minnan Oolong and is also the most widely recognized.
Apart from Tieguanyin, Minnan Narcissus, Yongchun fo shou, and Zhangping Shui Xian are also well-known varieties of Minnan Oolong.
Why did iTeaworld choose Tieguanyin and Minnan Narcissus?
It is because they are both well-known teas with good quality and have a long history.
Why is this tea called Tieguanyin？
At the beginning of the 18th century, there was a local tea farmer in Anxi who believed in Buddhism, and he made tea offerings to Guan Shiyin Bodhisattva every day
Once when he went out to inspect the tea plantation, he found a tree in a cave. The leaves were large and shiny, it was a very special leaf, so he took it home to process it into oolong tea
After making it, he found that the flavor of oolong tea made from this leaf was very different.
So he transplanted the tea tree back and propagated it with plugs.
The tea grower thought that this tea was given to him by the Bodhisattva Guanshiyin, and because the color of the tea is very similar to the color of iron, which is "tie" in Chinese, it was named tieguanyin tea.
Types of Tieguanyin
There are two types of Tieguanyin tea, one is the traditional charcoal roasted Tieguanyin tea and the other is the modern craft Tieguanyin tea.
Traditional Tieguanyin tea: sandy green in color.
Modern Tieguanyin tea: bright green color in appearance
Modern Tieguanyin has a similar taste to green tea.
iTeaworld chose this Anxi Tieguanyin tea for two main reasons
First, it is from the authentic Anxi High Mountain tea plantation.
Secondly, it is a traditional charcoal-roasted tea.
This allows people to experience the different charms of traditional Chinese craftsmanship.
How to brew Tieguanyin tea?
Tieguanyin is a low-fermented tea, so more attention should be paid to its aroma
Therefore, it is best to brew in a wide-mouth bowl, so that the tea leaves can fully unfold in the tea broth
It is also recommended to choose the "high brewing" method, that is, pouring hot water into the tea cups from a higher distance, to better stimulate the aroma of Tieguanyin.
About "Guanyinyun" of Tieguanyin tea
About "Yun"
Many of our famous Chinese teas have the word "yun".
For example, Tieguanyin tea has "Guanyin Yun", Minbei Oolong tea has "Smoke Yun", and Monocotyledon tea has "Alpine Yun".
Tea with "yun" is beyond ordinary tea.
Tea that can be called "yun" can not only give you material enjoyment but also bring spiritual pursuit.
It can make people happy
About "Guanyin Yun"
"Guanyin Yun" is a unique quality characteristic of Tieguanyin tea. It is a bit mysterious to say, what will change with the different feelings of the tea tasters
In my opinion, I understand that "Guanyin yun" refers to the throat after drinking arrogant, there is a kind of alpine tea unique sense of coolness! And the sweetness of Tieguanyin will make you feel the "yun" of the unusual!
Ordinary tea can seldom give you such a rich and multi-layered feeling!
Only the core production area and the superior traditional craftsmanship can produce the "Guanyin yun" Tieguanyin tea.
Differences between Minnan Narcissus and Tie Guanyin
The core difference lies in the difference in the degree of oxidation, i.e. the different processing techniques, with Tieguanyin having a much lower degree of oxidation.
Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea, known in Western terminology as oxidized tea, with a degree of oxidation between completely unoxidized green tea and fully oxidized black tea
Different varieties of tea and different origins of tea masters may allow the tea to oxidize to different degrees again during processing.
Tieguanyin is a very low-oxidized tea, and tea masters feel that a low level of oxidation can be more conducive to the development of its characteristics and advantages
Minnan Narcissus has no advantage over Tieguanyin in terms of aroma, but its taste is more mellow and rich.
Therefore, the tea master will make it oxidized to a higher degree, to oxidize the tea polyphenols into theaflavin or thearubigin, which further enhances the mellowness of the tea broth.
Characteristics of Minnan Narcissus
The characteristics of Minnan Narcissus tea are weak aroma, but rich in water and mellow taste.
Minnan Narcissus tea is a semi-tree tea with a trunk.
iTeaworld's Minnan Narcissus tea is selected from Yongchun Tea Factory.
Yongchun Tea Factory is a decades-old tea factory founded by the Indonesian Chinese.
The raw material for our Minnan Narcissus tea comes from tea trees planted in the 1950s and 1960s.
It's basically 70, 80 years old now or more
Why did iTeaworld choose this Minnan Narcissus?
Because older tea trees are sweeter and the tea broth is more mellow.And the production process of the old tea factory is more traditional
It allows people to experience the real traditional Minnan Narcissus tea.
What is the aroma of Minnan Narcissus tea?
There are two kinds of aromas of Minnan Narcissus tea.
One kind of aroma is a variety of aromas (orchid)
The other is the aroma of the dancong aromas, which is the aroma that will appear only when the tree is older, similar to the aroma of rice dumpling leaves.
Compared with the common Minnan Narcissus, iTeaworld's Minnan Narcissus has unique dancong aromas.
And due to the old age of the trees, this tea has a mellow flavor and good sweetness!
There is a sweetness in your throat when you drink it, and it will be sweet back, which is unique to old tree tea.
Comparison of brewing methods between Tieguanyin and Minnan Narcissus tea
Tea set:
Minnan Narcissus tea should be brewed in purple sand pots or thick teacups.Tieguanyin tea is light and elegant, suitable for thin-lid teacups, and better able to set off its aroma
Water temperature:
Tieguanyin's oxidization degree is relatively low, the brewing water temperature can be a little lower.For Minnan Narcissus, the water temperature must be high!
Tea water ratio:
Tieguanyin's tea-to-water ratio is 1:30The ratio of tea to water for Minnan Narcissus is 1:35.
Brewing time:
Tieguanyin's brewing time is shorter, and Minnan Narcissus's brewing time is longer.The brewing time for Minnan Narcissus can be 10 seconds, and Tieguanyin can be 8 or 7 seconds.
Drinking Time Suggestion
I like to drink Tieguanyin in the summer or in the morning, it makes me feel more happy and elegant.
As for Minnan Narcissus, I would drink this tea in winter or in the evening
Old tree tea is very strong and mellow, and very calm after drinking it
Preservation Method
The preservation of oolong tea is the same as black tea and green tea, it must be sealed.
Storage environment temperature should be below 25 degrees and humidity below 65 degrees.
No odor, no light, no strong light, such an environment will be better
As Tieguanyin has a low level of oxidation, after one year or 36 months, its taste will deteriorate with oxidation and become very unpleasant to drink.
Minnan Narcissus is made by the traditional oolong tea process, with deeper fermentation, and tastes better when stored for 5 or 10 years
I have seen many people on the internet say that old oolong tea tastes good, but the premise is that the process needs to be traditional oolong tea process
The deeper the fermentation, the longer the tea is stored, the better the flavor.
The tea-drinking atmosphere and the pursuit of tea aesthetics in China are very different from other countries.I think everyone should not be fixed in a certain area, but try more and compare more.So that the understanding of tea will be clearer.
