Iron Goddess of Mercy (Tie Guanyin)

Very nice TGY.

One of the better commercially-available Iron Goddess teas I’ve tried. A nice light oolong. Got a nice cup from the Metropolis Coffee flagship.

After a rough day at work, I just had to unwind for awhile, and so, I spent a little time relaxing at one of my favorite spots in my hometown. This tea was on the menu today, and having had it in the past, I felt the need to revisit it. I have to say that I am glad that I did.

The tea shows a nice greenish yellow in the glass. Very floral, faintly fruity aromas are immediately apparent on the nose. I was reminded of a mixture of gardenias and honeysuckle. Closer inspection revealed subtle aromas of moss, wood, earth, dried grass, and lightly browned toast. To me, this tea just smells like spring.

In the mouth, the floral notes of gardenia and honeysuckle mingle with a nectar-like sweetness and a faint, if rather nondescript fruitiness. Grainier, earthier notes soon follow to balance things out, as brown toast, wet moss, moist earth, and hints of wet wood, dried grass, and roasted barley all join the fray. The finish is mellow and rather short, offering lingering grainy, woody, and earthy notes underscored by floral sweetness. I also thought I detected a very faint buttery note, but it might just be me.

I seem to enjoy this tea every time I seek it out and this time was certainly no exception. This is a very approachable oolong with a mild, yet still rather complex aroma and flavor profile. I highly recommend it to those interested in an easy sipping oolong with enough complexity to keep one intrigued.

So far this is my first and only experience with tieguanyin and I am constantly surprised by oolongs and the great variation among this class of tea. The smell of the dried leaves instantly reminded me of houjicha, which dissipated and gave way to dark floral notes when the tea was infused. What connects houjicha and tieguanyin?

The liquor is slightly more orange-brown than, say, a bao zhong, which is indicative of the higher degree of oxidation with the tieguanyin. However, the liquor is still rather pale like honey in hot water.

The flavor sits along the back of the tongue and peaks right before you swallow. Gently exhaling through the nose immediately after swallowing elicits a mature, confident floral aroma. As the liquor cools this floral aroma becomes sweeter and brighter.

Tasting notes: toasted daisy leaves, pewter, dried caramelized onions

One of the best from Rishi. Brewed gongfu style @ 180-190F. Reminds me of walking through a green forest during a rain shower. Very comforting, less floral than other teas in this style (though still floral) and with more earthiness. Very good daily drinker. While this is not the highest grade iron goddess oolong, it was surprisingly good for Rishi and I am glad good tea is becoming more widely available. Good stuff!

A great fall and winter oolong, with smooth and rich with aromas of roasted chestnut and notes of dried apricot and fig!

This was the first Oolong that I have ever tried, and probably my first stone for comparison. The name sold me, and my taste buds freaked out when I first tried it. Was it a green tea? Black tea? Was I smelling a plumeria, or an orchid? And that roasted smell, that taste. What-is-this? From there on, it became one of my favorite teas.

Pretentious story line aside, this is a good clean tea with staying power. It’s lighter with a paradoxical full body, smelling and tasting like a floral forest. I’ll definitely have to try this one again, and do another review to see if the experience is different. I’d say it’s probably for some one who likes Oolongs and green teas, maybe for a newbie.

Nice roasted taste in this oolong and the leaf is rather beautiful as well. Not the highest quality from what I have tried in regards to an Iron Goddess but I do find this tea to taste quite fine and worthy of sharing with someone to introduce them to oolong teas.

The latest batch of this tea is quite different than what I’ve had before. This time it’s a much darker roast and the sweetness and floral notes are gone. I noticed Rishi harvests this tea in the spring (optimal) and winter. This is likely from the winter crop and could explain the flavor difference.

Has a very mellow and earthy flavor with coffee and cacao overtones. I don’t particularly care for the woodsy flavor, but I think it would be good for people who like darker coffees. I would like it more if it had a more complex flavor because it almost reminds me of a red wine, but it’s lacking the depth I typically associate with a good glass of red. I don’t detect any floral undertones (maybe I burnt it? I’ll update when I try steeping another glass.) It’s not a bad tea, just not to my liking.

EDIT: After trying this tea again, it’s grown on me. It definitely has a woodsy, earthy taste, so if that’s not your thing, this tea isn’t for you. When I drink it, I like to put in a small chunk of orange rind and a teaspoon of honey, and it’s quite delicious and cozy.