Iron Goddess Mercy

Tea Type: Oolong Tea

Tea Region: Anxi, Fujian Province, China

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Transluscent, golden, yellow liquor
• Aroma: Intense floral (lily of the valley, mimosa) notes followed by mild, sweet, buttery, milky and steamed vegetal notes (collard green). 
• Flavour: Floral (lily of the valley, mimosa), fruity (white peach), buttery, almond, steamed vegetal notes (collard green). 
• Mouthfeel: Well-rounded, smooth, mellow liquor with a silky mouthfeel. Gentle astringency and refreshing, sweet, floral, herbaceous finish. 

Brewing Guidance

• Measure 1g of tea per 100ml water. Boil water to 90℃. Steep for 4-5 minutes.

Reference: Op. 112

Tips for Tea Connoisseurs

Iron Goddess Mercy Oolong Tea (aka. "Tie Guan Yin" or "Iron Buddha") is one of the most famous and beloved Chinese oolong teas from Fujian Province, China. The production of Iron Goddess Mercy is extremely time and labour-consuming. After harvest, the tea leaves are withered, bruised to stimulate the oxidation, then wrapped in a cotton canvas and delicately hand-rolled into small pellets. This rolling stage is regularly interrupted with heating to control the degree of oxidation of the tea. Such repetitive alternation between rolling and heating greatly contributes to the development of desired aromas and flavours of Iron Goddess Mercy oolong tea. 

Our Iron Goddess Mercy oolong tea comes from Anxi, the birthplace of Iron Goddess Mercy oolong tea. It has been lightly oxidised to achieve a rich, creamy yet refreshing infusion, illustrating opulent floral (lily of the valley, mimosa), fruity (white peach), mild buttery, almond and steamed vegetal flavours. The sweet, floral, herbaceous finish lingers long on the palate with a refreshing mouthfeel. 

According to a legend, a poor, kind-hearted farmer took care of a degenerated temple which held an iron statue of "Guan Yin", the Chinese Buddhist Goddess of Mercy  (i.e. the Bodhisattva of compassion in Buddhism). Touched by his kindness, the goddess visited him in his dream and showed him the spot of a hidden treasure behind her temple. When the farmer followed the instruction to find the treasure, what he found was a tea shoot. He then carefully cultivated, harvested and named the tea as "Tie Guan Yin", literally meaning, Iron Goddess Mercy in Mandarin Chinese. Anxi region then became famous for Iron Goddess Mercy oolong tea, which is now one of the most popular oolong teas in China.   

As with all the teas, oolong tea also offers us health benefits to increase our sense of well-being. Several studies indicate that oolong tea is a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols and it may well be just as beneficial as green tea to promote weight loss and cardiovascular health by reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol. 

If you like this product you may also like Golden Water Turtle, Rare Orchid, Phoenix Honey Orchid and Alishan Golden Lily.