30g Charcoal Roasted Tie Guan Yin 炭焙鐵觀音

In the world of coffee roasting, how deeply one roasts their beans is quite particular. For example, if one wanted a lightly roasted coffee, the kind you would find at specialty cafes and roasteries, the roast on the beans would be called a "City" roast. On the other end, if you want a classic, dark, roasty, slightly bitter brew, you'd give the coffee beans a "Vienna" roast (and if you want the taste of charcoal in your mouth, you'd give it a "French" roast). This tea, is the "Vienna" roast of tea, you can really taste the roasting process from first to last steep. I did not get the hazelnut aroma or taste that was described, instead, I got more of a toasted cinnamon taste, rather similar to some Wuyi oolongs. The dark roast lends this tea to a long life, and I highly recommend getting a returning cup for the wash, as you get that strong roast right from the beginning.

I drink a lot of oolongs, and it’s really rare for me to still be thinking of a tea’s taste more than a day after drinking it. Superb roast, really lovely nutty, woody flavour balanced by a caramel sweetness and a surprising petrichor-like note.

I enjoyed the taste of this tea. the smell of the leafs was wonderful. not overpowering from the roasting process. one of the teas I've reordered.

Many years ago a friend from China sent me a package of various teas tha were favorites of his father. One was a dark roasted Tie Guan Yin. It was amazing. None of the other Tie Guan Yin teas I tried over the years measured up. I started thinking it was me trying to compare subsequent samples to a dream or feeling rather than the actualflavor of that fabled package of tea, until now. The Tie Guan Yin I recently received from West China Tea thoroughly met my expectations and exceeded them. Delicious, rich tea with so many dark nuances that any word, or words, I conjure seems completely inadequate.

I nearly jumped from my seat when I first smelled this aroma- do they make roasted tie guan yin candles? This was such a treat that I had to immediately go back and order a bigger quantity. I would consider an endless supply of this as one of my hypothetical genie wishes.

I want to preface the review with the fact that I’m mostly a wuyi guy when it comes to oolongs but there was a discount I couldn’t refuse so I bought this. Boy was it a good idea. The tea is super sweet but not disgustingly so. When you’re drinking it’s like a hazelnut coffee from a third wave store. And this is one of the most bang for your buck teas too, I got 12 steepings but easily could’ve gotten more. Can not recommend this tea enough not to mention how special of a find it is. If you like toasty caramel, hazelnut coffee or even just one of those flavors, this is a must have.