l visited the anxi mountains a few days a go and observed the entire
process of how the tie guan yin teas are made, really interesting
stuff. There are so many small familes processing this tea and then
they rush it off to the market. I noticed that there are guys all over
the fields spraying chemicals on the bushes to kill the bugs, which
was quite an eye opener and as you drive a long there are tea leaves
being withered on top of concrete buildings and people sitting around
tables sorting the leaves and guys on motorbikes flying around the
corners with teas on big bags. What a business

The best part was I was given at the one factory some aged tie guan
ying , it looked dark, the leaves really krinkled and hardly a smell
to it. Apparantely it is kept in porcelin pots and has to be fired
evry year in a wok to keep the moisture out and maintain its quality.
After tatsing it I was totally blown a way . This tea is really really
nice. Crisp honey fired notes and a woody taste which is subtle and
friendly and this tea just made brew after brew after brew and still
had a dominant character. I asked for half a pound but they only gave
a small sample in a tiny zip lok bag which is now safely in a sealed
tin in my soitcase. did not know that aged oolong existed.. and thank
you Yigo , for those who dont know ,Yigo contacted me through this
forum and he lives in china ,and I called him when I arrived in china
as promised and invited him to join me on this adventure and of course
he dived at the opertunity and we had a very fruitful experience
together.

Maurice

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