Batch 109 begins our tenth year of the Eco-Cha Tea Club with a Tie Guan Yin Oolong spring 2024 harvest from Muzha, Taiwan. The photo above was taken on one our first visits to our source of Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea many years ago. We have continuously sourced our TGY from this artisan, and have become friends in the process.
This is from our visit last year, when we walked around Mr. Zhang's family farm, checking out several plots of tea and learning more about his operations. This is truly a source of boutique artisan tea. He produces very small batches of tea on a seasonal basis from the produce of his own organic plots of tea combined with raw leaf material from our source of Wenshan Baozhong Tea. He actually introduced us to our Baozhong Tea source.
The image above represents the handmade artisanal elements of his work. His home factory is the smallest set up we have seen here in Taiwan. The leaves are rolled in a traditional fashion, without the use of machines that are now used in virtually every tea factory in Taiwan.
The distinctive character of Muzha Tie Guan Yin comes from this unique step during the rolling and drying process where the leaves are tightly wrapped in cloth and put in a warmer to "steam" in their own juices, so to speak. The temperature of the warmer is only around 70°C, so they don't actually steam. But the effect is a bit like a very slight fermentation that creates a tangy flavor note. This tangy/fruity quality, combined with extensive post production roasting results in a flavor profile that stands alone.
Mr. Zhang has achieved dozens of awards in the local Tie Guan Yin tea competition, including Champion Prize (the biggest one at the top). It has been very rewarding for us to watch our friend receive his due recognition as an Oolong Tea artisan in this historical, yet dwindling tea community in Taipei, Taiwan.
This batch of Tie Guan Yin was roasted beyond the competition standard, but we feel it is more representative of the Muzha tradition. And after letting these leaves rest for over six months has allowed the roast factor to mellow, bringing forth the more subtle, complex fruity notes. Tie Guan Yin Oolong is a hearty, bold brew that is rich in both tradition and flavor.
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