Jin Guan Yin

About Jin Guan Yin

This surprisingly juicy, light Chinese oolong tea comes from multi-generational, family-run gardens in Ping Shan Village, Datian County, Fujian. While it is neighbouring Anxi County that is famed for its oolongs, we wandered higher up the mountains (1100metres) to look for something a little less conventional, and a whole lot more natural. The gardens here are in conversion to organic, running wild with flowers, wildlife, and weeds. The tea itself unfurls beautifully with a mouth-watering buttery-vegetal aroma and a pristine flavour that offers distinct floral notes and a touch of tropical kumquat fruit.

About Ping Shan

Ping Shan Village is a traditional tea-producing area that’s North of Anxi County. The landscape here is mountainous, damp and humid, creating excellent conditions for cultivating large leaf teas for making oolong. The Guo Family has been growing here for many generations, winning many local awards for their commitment to excellent-tasting teas.

Cultivation & Processing

Jin Guan Yin (meaning Golden Buddha) is a hybrid of Tie Guan Yin and Huang Dan cultivars. Harvested at the beginning of May the leaves are lightly oxidised and rolled under a painstaking process that creates amazingly long stems of dried tea which are studied for uniformity before the stems are snapped by hand.

Effects

Apart from the mouth-watering effect that this tea immediately has upon the senses, drinking it is a deeply comforting experience. Oolongs of this nature have high levels of catechins, which studies have shown help fight Alzheimer’s and certain cancers. There are also studies that indicate it could be good for managing weight, too.

How to Enjoy

Apart from savouring this tea on its own, you might like to enjoy it with creamy puddings like panna cotta, or rice dishes with chicken and chilli – the cooling nature of the tea helps with anything too spicy!